Resideo Rob

Need a hotel for a Dave Matthews Band concert?

2010-07-08T11:54:00.004-05:00

We're currently helping some DMB fans find & book concerts for the current tour, and thought we'd share our findings with the world.

It's taking a while to complete the search in each area, but you'll find the links below for ones that are currently complete (come back often for new locations).

7/9, Hershey, PA (Hersheypark Stadium)
7/10, Pittsburgh, PA (PNC Park)
7/13, Bethel, NY (Bethel Woods Center for the Arts)
7/14, Scranton, PA (Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain)
7/16, New York, NY (Citi Field)
7/17, New York, NY (Citi Field)
7/20, Virginia Beach, VA (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
7/21, Charlotte, NC (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
7/23, Washington, DC (Nationals Park)
7/25, Louisville, KY (Churchill Downs Music Festival)
7/27, Atlanta, GA (Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood)
7/28, Tampa, FL (Ford Amphitheatre)
7/30, West Palm Beach, FL (Cruzan Amphitheatre)
7/31, West Palm Beach, FL (Cruzan Amphitheatre)
8/14, Wichita, KS (InTrust Bank Arena)
8/17, West Valley City, UT (USANA Amphitheatre)
8/20, Chula Vista, CA (Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre)
8/21, Irvine, CA (Verizon Wireless Amphitheater)
8/23, Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood Bowl)
8/25, Concord, CA (Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord)
8/27, Marysville, CA (Sleep Train Amphitheatre)
8/28, Mountain View, CA (Shoreline Amphitheatre)
8/31, Boise, ID (Taco Bell Arena)
9/3, George, WA (Gorge Amphitheatre)
9/4, George, WA (Gorge Amphitheatre)
9/5, George, WA (Gorge Amphitheatre)
9/10, Woodlands, TX (Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion)
9/11, Dallas, TX (Superpages.com Center)
9/14, Omaha, NE (Qwest Center)
9/15, St. Paul, MN (Xcel Energy Center)

:-)

Worst of the Worst: Palace Resort Myrtle Beach SC

2009-10-27T12:51:00.002-05:00

The Palace Resort in Myrtle Beach South Carolina may take the prize as the worst of all the bad hotels we've highlighted here.

Be sure to check out the Palace Resort reviews -- warning, they aren't for those of you with weak stomachs. Here are just a few quotes:

The walls were filthy, the room reeked of mildew, the bed had springs showing through, linens were stained and dingy, mattress was unprotected, with urine stains. The couch was not only filthy and old, but still had food droppings between the arm rests.

The maid came in twice all week, and the second time she asked my wife for a beer.

So -- we definitely won't be recommending this hotel to anyone until they turn things around.

Our very own wikihow article...

2009-07-30T11:20:00.001-05:00

We just uploaded a wikiHow article - how to book a room with Resideo.com - check it out:

How to Book a Hotel Room With Resideo.Com

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Finding & booking the right hotel at the best rate can be difficult, but Resideo.com makes it easy!

Steps

Head over to http://www.resideo.com/ Click the "Browse hotels" link to get started. You'll be presented a list of countries - choose the country you are planning to visit, then the state and city.
To check for rates and availability in that city, click the "enter your travel dates" link. Choose your dates, the number of adults & children, then submit the form. After a moment or two, the results will appear. You can choose to sort the results by price (cheapest first), by name or by distance. Each hotel results gives you the option to read more about the hotel or to choose an available room and continue to the booking process.
The actual booking process is very short. The first page will ask you for all of the pertinent information (name, address, billing information, etc.). The next page will give you a chance to confirm your details before processing. If everything looks ok, click the "Book Now" button. After processing is complete, you'll see your confirmation number and other important info right on screen. An email with all of the information will be sent to you as well.

Things You'll Need

Computer with internet access
Credit card

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Book a Hotel Room With Resideo.Com. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Upcoming trip...

2009-07-29T20:35:00.003-05:00

My wife and I have a Disney World trip coming up -- we'll be staying at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort.

This resort looks amazing, and it's unique in that it's a non-Disney resort, but the only access to it is via Disney property.

It sits on a plot of land surrounded on 3 sides by Disney property & Interstate 4 on the other side. The only entrance & exit is via Disney roads.

Regardless, the Bonnet Creek Resort looks amazing - check out these photos!

According to the TripAdvisor reviews for the Wyndham Bonnet Creek, this place is amazing. We'll have a full trip report once we return.

The "official" Resideo blog

2009-07-27T16:48:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to annouce the launch of the official Resideo.com blog: http://resideohotels.blogspot.com/

You'll find travel tips - discounts rates, hotel news & more. Plus, you'll find the official home of the "Hotels on Twitter" list, which I started last year.

See you there!

Helping hotels on Twitter

2009-01-23T09:36:00.003-06:00

It's amazing to see that more than 140 hotels (and chains) are on Twitter. It's clear that more and more hotels will continue to see that being a part of Twitter (as well as taking part in other forms of "new" media - blogs, etc.) is an extremely important, and lucrative, part of their business.

But, getting started can be difficult. Finding someone who knows what to do and how to handle all the different aspects of all of this can be challenging.

Well, I've got the answer!!

No, not really, but that's what this post is all about. I'm looking for ideas from all sides -- from hotels that are looking on how to get started, to potential employees that can be an integral part of your marketing team.

So, is setting up a marketplace-type site the way to go? Can hotels depend on their own staff to learn the ropes and not make huge mistakes that could doom the entire property?

Feel free to email me with your ideas (or questions), or post them in the comments.

Spring Training hotel guide

2009-01-10T09:31:00.000-06:00

Looking to take in a MLB Spring Training game this year? Check rates for hotels at the following host cities:

Florida
Bradenton
Clearwater
Dunedin
Ft. Lauderdale
Ft. Myers
Jupiter
Kissimmee
Lake Buena Vista
Lakeland
Port Charlotte
Port St. Lucie
Sarasota
Tampa

Arizona
Glendale
Goodyear
Mesa
Peoria
Phoenix
Scottsdale
Tempe
Tucson

Play ball!

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T16:52:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

Hotels using Twitter

2008-12-31T09:44:00.089-06:00

The "Hotels Using Twitter" list has moved! Please update your links. Thanks!

Hotels for wine lovers

2008-12-29T15:28:00.009-06:00

The general public has a growing fascination with wine these days, and it's never been easier to learn more about it -- tours are popping up all over.

Looking for a place to stay that will get you started on the right foot? Look no further:

California

Napa Valley Marriott Hotel and Spa

@goodgrape says: "Gaia Napa Valley falls into the extreme quality for value category for Napa Valley"

From the mustlovewine.com forums:

Wine Way Inn B&B in Calistoga

Solage Calistoga

Inn at Southbridge

Harvest Inn

Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville

Oregon

Hotel Deluxe

Hotel Monaco

So -- what are your favorites?

Cool (Hotel) Pools

2008-12-22T14:55:00.022-06:00

It's cold outside -- so dreaming about a tropical getaway is one way to warm up. Check out these hotels with extremely cool pools. Who knows, maybe you'll find yourself at one this summer!

Hawaii

Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

The pool complex includes a sand-bottomed children's pool with a 90-foot water slide and an infinity-edged pool for adults. The 165-foot heated infinity pool includes a Jacuzzi.

Miami, Florida

The National Hotel

The National Hotel houses two outdoor pools, including one of the most photographed pools in the world. This infinity pool extends 205 feet in length and is surrounded by tropical foliage.

Hotel Victor

On site is an outdoor infinity pool overlooking Ocean Drive and the beach.

South Padre Island, Texas

Peninsula Island Resort

Dallas, Texas

Hotel Palomar

The Hotel Palomar Dallas' rooftop infinity pool and fitness center offer views of the Dallas skyline.

San Francisco, CA

St. Regis

Las Vegas, NV (suggested by @fungirl025)

Mandalay Bay

Real California white sand cushions toes at the Mandalay Beach, where a wave pool produces up to six-feet-tall waves. The Beach Concert Series, a seasonal weekend performance, features live entertainment staged over the wave pool. An adults-only, topless beach, Moorea, occupies a secluded spot near the pool area.

Wynn

SXSW 09 - Book your hotels quick!

2008-12-17T14:52:00.003-06:00

Hotels for SXSW 09 (South by Southwest), in Austin Texas are booking up fast.

Many hotels offer packages & deals that are tied in with registrations -- that limits the number of rooms available to the general public.

But, it's not too late! Head over to our Austin hotels listing and click the "enter your travel dates" link -- choose your dates, then submit the form. SXSW for 2009 is being held from Friday, March 13 to Sunday, March 22nd -- so, if you don't find anything available for your first choice of dates, try different ones (extending by 1 or 2 nights, etc.) to see if that increases the availability.

Be sure to visit the official SXSW site for info, schedule & maps, so you can get a better idea of what is happening where.

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

The stories behind the names

2008-12-15T11:45:00.005-06:00

Being in the travel industry, it's interesting to see the stories and history behind many of the hotels and chains that we work with. Many of these stories are very detailed, and many have a past that most folks would only dream of being a part of.

My curiosity for such history was piqued this weekend as I was traveling down the interstate with my wife. We were passing an exit filled with all the usual signs for all the usual hotels, and she turned to me and asked where some of them came up with their names -- specifically, Motel 6 & Super 8.

I admit I was clueless. We see signs for these budget chains at just about every interstate exit in the US, but I wondered how they came up with their names? I figured, at first, it must have something to do with the location of the original locations (maybe located on a "Highway 8" in some small town). Well, I was wrong.

The Super 8 chain was named because the rooms were originally priced at $8.88. The Motel 6 chain, when first opened in 1962, offered rooms for a mere $6.00 per night. Genius!

Such a simple explanation, yet it never crossed my mind!

So, next time you are on the road, or reading up on a hotel, take the time to find out about the history of that hotel and/or its parent chain -- you might just be surprised!

Resideo offers info & online booking for many Super 8 and Motel 6 hotels in the US.

Sources:
Super 8
Motel 6

Destination: Anaheim

2008-12-11T16:13:00.004-06:00

We highlighted Orlando a few weeks ago, now we move to the West Coast and home to Disneyland: Anaheim, CA!

There are lots of hotels just outside of the Disneyland gates, so finding a hotel and walking to and from the attractions is easy. We recommend the Best Western Park Place Inn & Mini Suites -- it's literally the closest hotel to the Harbor Boulevard pedestrian entrance.

Be sure to fly into John Wayne International (SNA), as it's the closest airport to Disneyland, and not as crowded as LAX.

Head north on I-5 to visit LA: Hollywood, Santa Monica and all the other spots!

Best cities to celebrate New Years

2008-12-07T22:15:00.007-06:00

It's December ~~2008~~ 2009, which means that ~~2009~~ 2010 is just around the corner! Where and how do you plan to spend the New Year? Here's a list of the best places to celebrate:

New York City
The one and only place to be -- hang out in Times Square and watch the ball drop in style! Hotel rooms are still available...

New Orleans
Roam around the French Quarter and ring in the New Year!

Las Vegas
Whether your on the Strip or Freemont, celebrate in Sin City.

Sydney, Australia
Be one of the first to ring in ~~2009~~ 2010 in style!

Hotels are limited, so book now!

Sources
Celebrations.com
ShermansTravel.com

Tech geek friendly hotels

2008-12-03T09:28:00.003-06:00

As high-tech gadgetry becomes more mainstream (easier to use & more affordable for the masses), hotels have begun to offer features that cater to these items that many just can't live without.

Here are some hotels that are going above and beyond when it comes to these amenities.

Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa & Marina
San Diego, CA
All rooms provide 32-inch LCD flat-screen televisions and iHome stereo alarm clocks with iPod docking stations. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, in-room internet access is available for a fee.

The Ritz-Carlton in Denver standard room amenities include CD players, DVD players, clock radios with iPod docking stations and high-speed Internet access.

Visiting Orlando? Check out the Radisson Lake Buena Vista. Rooms feature 37-inch flat-panel TVs & alarm clocks with iPod docking stations. Internet access is complimentary.

Need a bigger television? Hotel Nikko San Francisco has some rooms with 42-inch TVs! CD players and iPod docking stations are available too, but internet access is not free.

The MGM Grand Detroit also offers rooms with 42-inch wall-mounted plasma TVs.

Need more stations? Raffles Dubai features rooms with satellite TV & free wireless internet.

Closer to home, the Stoneleigh in Dallas features a fitness center houses four resistance machines and six television-mounted, iPod-compatible cardiovascular machines.

This trend will only continue, so look for more chains to require their hotels have more & more in-room gadgets.

See you next time!

Getaway: Unique Christmas lodging

2008-12-01T15:21:00.009-06:00

Get into the Christmas spirit by booking a unique holiday getaway. Whether it's ice in Florida, or staying in a town called Santa Claus, you'll have fun no matter what!

Christmas House B&B
San Antonio, TX
All year, the living room features a decorated Christmas tree and fireplace. If that's not enough, you can stay in the Santa Claus Room, which is decorated in red with white accents.

Christmas Mountain Village
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

You can always book a room in Santa Claus, Indiana. Be sure to send someone special some mail from the town post office for a unique souvenir!

You can view the local Christmas parade from the front doors of The Milton House Inn in Stanley, VA, which also decorates for the season.

Check out Ice! at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL -- an amazing display made from blocks of ice. Bundle up -- it gets cold in there!

Every room at the Hudson Inn B&B in Romeo Michigan features its own thematic Christmas tree.

The Doubletree Dallas near the Galleria boasts the tallest indoor Christmas tree!

Please feel free to share any other unique places! Happy Holidays!

Destination: Orlando

2008-11-29T16:00:00.002-06:00

Escape the winter doldrums and head to Orlando, Florida!

The Christmas season holiday comes alive at area theme parks and hotels:

Gaylord Palms presents Ice!, an amazing walk-through display, where everything is made from gigantic blocks of ice.

The Disney theme parks deck the halls. The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom each have a unique Christmas Tree, as well as various holiday offerings.

Tip: Check out Epcot, where each country in World Showcase features their own unique Santa storytellers.

Lots of hotels are offering substantial discounts:

Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, from $43/night

Orlando Vista Hotel, from $44/night

Plus many more!

Diversion: Sports and the "Hatred Hierarchy"

2008-11-25T13:21:00.008-06:00

Taking a break from the usual talk about travel and hotels today, to wax poetic about sports.

That's right: Sports. Just saying that word makes me want to belch and grunt like Tim Allen. You know what I'm talking about, you do it too.

Anywho -- specifically, I want to talk about rivalries. Good old-fashioned hatred towards your most vile opponent. Colts-Patriots. Seminoles-Gators. Lakers-Celtics. The list goes on and on...there's too many to count, really.

But...what happens when you're with a group of friends, watching one of these games...and your team isn't one of them? Yeah, you may love LSU, but what do you do when you're forced to watch the Florida-Alabama game? You want to get into the game, but just who do your root for when you loathe both teams?

Until now, this predicament hasn't had a name, and your brain has been confused.

Luckily for you, I'm here to tell you it has a name, and it's called the "Hatred Hierarchy". *

It flows through us each time we're near a game on TV, or we're hanging out with friends talking trash about the upcoming games, and our team isn't a part of it.

So, what do you do? Well, you've got some options:

1) Turn away. Don't root for either team, but instead leave and pretend the game doesn't exist. That's no fun, though. If that's not an option...

2) Figure out who to root for. If one of those teams needs to lose in order for your guys to clinch a playoff spot, don't hesitate to scream and hoot and holler for the other guys -- just know, deep in your heart, that you're a true blue fan for your team, and no other. Otherwise, you'll just need to...

3) Consume more alcohol, and continue to blather on and on about how great your team is, and that they shouldn't even be talking about those other teams or showing them on TV...I mean, come on! Oh, remember that bad call 5 years ago that lost us the championship?!? I love you man...

Oops, sorry bout that...so, what's your "Hatred Hierarchy"?

* Wish I could take credit for coming up with the phrase, but I can't. You'll have to thank my wife, Jamie, for that. :-)

2009 Super Bowl in Tampa, FL - Hotels booking up fast!

2008-11-25T08:59:00.003-06:00

It goes without saying: Hotels for the upcoming Super Bowl in Tampa, FL (Sunday, February 1st) are booking up fast -- and the hotels with availability are super expensive.

So, as always, we're here to help cut through the crap and help you find the right room at the right price.

First, head over to our Tampa hotels list and click the "enter your travel dates" link. Select your dates (note that some hotels will have minimum-stay requirements in place) and submit the form.

When the results appear -- don't panic. Yes, most places on the default listing are $200+ per night, but stay calm...

If you want to be as close to Raymond James as possible, select the stadium by name from the 'Sort by distance from' dropdown -- that'll re-sort the list, putting the closest places first. As of this post, the closest is 5.74 miles away, a Red Roof Inn near Busch Gardens for $198/night.

There are several hotels near Busch Gardens in that price range, so, if you plan on taking in the park during your visit, then these are your best bet.

However, if price is the biggest consideration, then sort the results by price -- that'll put the cheapest places first.

The Tarpon Inn, about 20 miles out, is only $87/night. This is, at the time of this writing, your best bet for the absolute cheapest room.

Everything else, though, is $150 or more, so be prepared for that now.

So, that about wraps it up for now. I'll do my best to keep an eye on any changes and post them here. If you have any questions, let me know, ok?

See you next time!

Sources:
http://drnigelc.googlepages.com/superbowlhotelreservations

Hotels respond to travel downturn by slashing rates

2008-11-24T14:39:00.007-06:00

With the so-called economic "crisis" craziness in full swing, it was only a matter of time before hotels started lowering rates to more acceptable, reasonable levels.

Finding these discounts has proved to be difficult in the past, however, but Resideo is out to try and make this process as easy as possible.

To get an idea of the large scale of the current crop of discounts, head over to the US hotels section of the site. See all the "Discounts Available" tags? Almost all 50 states have hotels offering some sort of special rate.

So, just select the state you're interested in, then see the cities marked "Discounts available" -- all known hotels with discounts will be in their own highlighted section. From there, you can read up on each hotel individually, or do a city-wide quote.

Here's just a sampling of what's available:

Stowe, Vermont from $69/nite
Green Mountain Inn, Golden Eagle Resort, Stoweflake Resort & Topnotch Resort

Park City, Utah from $59/nt
Yarrow Resort & Prospector Square Lodge

Colorado destinations: Aspen, Breckenridge, Vail & more

New Orleans, Louisiana from $71/night
Maison Dupuy, Chateau Dupre & St. James...

Orlando hotels from only $43 per night!
Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, Orlando Vista Hotel & more

Memphis, TN, from $91/night
Radisson @ Airport, Peabody, etc.

Don't miss out on these offers!

Find us on Facebook!

2008-11-24T09:31:00.006-06:00

You can be our "fan" over at Facebook. That's right, just visit http://www.facebook.com/resideo to get started. We have a small, but growing, group, and we definitely will continue to post important information & links in the future.

Check us out!

** Edited to add **
Link fixed!

Plan now for Mardi Gras

2008-11-21T15:58:00.004-06:00

The Christmas holiday season is upon us, so that means Mardi Gras is just around the corner!

There are several key things to keep in mind when choosing the right hotel...

Although no parades actually roll through the French Quarter, it's a hot spot for party-goers. Plenty of amazing hotels are located in the area, all within easy walking distance to great restaurants and, of course, bars.

However, to get a feel for the "real" Mardi Gras spirit of New Orleans, take some time to visit some of the parades that run thru the neighborhoods and suburbs of NOLA. Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide is the best place to get a rundown of the parade schedules -- you can catch parades for several weeks leading up to Mardi Gras Day. Some great parades roll through Metairie, and there are plenty of hotels located within walking distance of most.

This year, Mardi Gras Day is February ~~24th~~ 16th. Future dates are listed here.

So, what are you waiting for? Book your room now -- Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!

Updated 12/29/2009 -- Lots of area hotels are offering discounts up to 30% off on room rates for stays 2 weekends before Mardi Gras...

Hello Alltop.com visitors!

2008-11-19T20:32:00.004-06:00

I'm pleased as punch to be included on the hotels.alltop site!

Welcome new visitors, I hope you find your visit satisfying, and that you come back soon!

My apologies for being "quiet" this week -- we've been having internet access "issues" at work, but should be up and running again tomorrow morning.

See you next time!

From Around the Web: World's weirdest hotel guest complaints

2008-11-12T10:05:00.002-06:00

We get our fair share of odd complaints & requests here at Resideo, and I've often wanted to start compiling them all together and sharing them with the public.

Until then, you'll have to read this article posted by the Sydney Morning Herald.

My favorite

Weird indeed was a group of security-conscious UFO-believers who held a conference at a Novotel and complained of a risk their gathering would be infiltrated by aliens from outer space because the locks on meeting room doors hadn't been changed.

See you next time!

Un-Traditional Thanksgiving travel ideas

2008-11-10T11:13:00.006-06:00

Ok, so you've done the whole "get the family together for Thanksgiving at Grandma's house" thing before. Why not try something a bit different this year? Check out these unique Thanksgiving destinations:

Skiing in Colorado
Hot Colorado destinations include Aspen, Beaver Creek, Snowmass, Telluride & Vail!

Vegas
Hit the casinos, take in some shows...

Surf & Sand
In the Caribbean, Aruba is popular this time of year. Or, head West out to Hawaii. Lots of great deals are available.

If you're looking for something a bit more traditional, visit New York City, NY
Take in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in person!

Sources:
ShermansTravel
MSN
MSNBC

"This hotel charges how much for wi-fi?!"

2008-11-06T14:43:00.009-06:00

You're staying at a hotel far away from home -- you want free wireless internet access in your room, right?

How many times are you surprised to find out that the hotel you're in charges some crazy fee for wi-fi? And why is it that the most expensive places charge for internet, and the more economical hotels don't?

Well, Resideo wants to help. For every hotel that you've stayed in, we're inviting you to indicate, directly on our site, whether or not those places have free wi-fi (or how much they charge).

It's easy -- and free. ;-)

Here's how it works: Head over to http://www.resideo.com/ and search for a hotel you've stayed at. We have over 40,000 in our system, so odds are good that we've got it. Once you've navigated your way to the hotel overview page, you'll see a "More info" link near the bottom, which will lead you to a page with some basic hotel info. Click the "edit the highlights" link to activate the editing widget -- you'll see an "Internet Service" section which is where you'll want to type in the info.

You'll need to either create a new account, or sign in if you already have a profile set up with us.

Once the update has taken place, the information will then update our site search results. So, the next time you search on our site for "wi-fi OR wireless internet in Boston", the returned results will be accurate.

So, how about it? You get to help others and help yourself, too.

Hotels for Obama Inauguration in DC are available!

2008-11-06T12:27:00.047-06:00

Latest Update: 12/30 -- Scroll to the bottom of this post for the latest updates!

Yes, it's true -- hotels in and around Washington, DC do have rooms available for the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

However, most have minimum stay policies in effect -- you'll need to stay at least 3 nights (4 nights if you want more options). So, consider extending your stay (spend a few days taking in the sights and sounds).

Hotels in the surrounding suburbs are a little easier to come by (but most still fall under those minimum stay provisions). Some people are even booking hotels in Baltimore.

It's easy to see what's available. Head over to our DC hotel list and click the "enter your travel dates" link. Choose your dates (Inauguration Day is Tuesday, January 20th, 2009) and submit the form.

http://www.resideo.com/us/districtofcolumbia/washington/

Good luck! I'll continue to update this post as more information becomes available (or if we find out all rooms have been booked up). If you have any info, please post it here. Thanks!

** Update **

Did a quote -- checkin Sunday, January 18th, check-out Thursday, January 22nd -- and found the following:

Churchill Hotel (DC)
Junior Suite - Inauguration "Special": $699/night

Hotel Monaco (Alexandria)
King Deluxe Room: $499/night

Holiday Inn (Greenbelt, MD) - 11 miles from DC
Standard Room: $189/night

Hyatt Fair Lakes (Fairfax, VA) - 19 miles from DC
Business Plan, 1 King Bed: $354 (average nightly rate)

Holiday Inn Express (Herndon, VA) - 20 miles from DC
Standard Room: $193/night

** Update (11/07/2008 @ 11am) **

Did a quote for 01/17 -> 01/21 and found the following:

Hotel Monaco, Alexandria, VA
Double Double Deluxe Room: $589/night

Doubletree, Bethesda, MD
King: $599/night

Affinia Liaison Capitol Hill
Deluxe King (or 2 Queens): $999/night

Fairmont
Deluxe Room: $1,200/night

Options are quickly disappearing! Try different dates for alternate options...Good luck!

** Update (11/07/2008 @ 12pm) **

Rooms in Aberdeen, MD (about an hour and a half from DC) are available, starting at $50/night
http://www.resideo.com/us/maryland/aberdeen/

Days Inn: $62 (average nightly rate)
Travelodge: $51
Super 8: $58

Unfortunately, you have to drive through Baltimore to get from Aberdeen to DC, so it may be more of a pain in the butt. We'll keep looking!

**Update (11/07/2008 @ 4pm) **

Consider staying in Hagerstown. The Hagerstown Hotel & Conference Center has rooms available starting at only $92/night. From Hagerstown, it's an hour drive down to a Metro station in Derwood. Thoughts?

** Update (11/10/2008 @ 2pm) **

Washington Suites Georgetown has 5 rooms available (2 one-bed standard suites, 1 two-queen deluxe suites) available, checking-in 01/18 and checking-out 01/22)!

A Hilton in Columbia, MD (between Baltimore & DC) has several rooms available, starting at $203/night.

** Update (11/10/2008 @ 10pm) **

Here's what's available as of 10:00 this evening (Jan 18 - Jan 22):

Kellogg Conference Hotel @ Gallaudet University
Standard room (only 1 left!)
$750.00/night
Total (after taxes & fees): $3,494.24

Legacy Hotel & Meeting Centre
Standard
$376.50/night
Total (after taxes & fees): $1,739.10

Hilton Columbia
Standard King - Non-Refundable
$203.15/night
Total (after taxes & fees): $931.40

** Update (11/11/2008 @ 10am) **

Some of the hotels in previous updates have been booked up, so don't be surprised to no longer find them unavailable. However, Washington Suites Georgetown, Kellogg Suites & Hilton Columbia still have availability.

However, we did find another hotel with availability, the Holiday Inn Express Springfield Virginia - $480/nt

** Update (11/11/2008 @ 4pm) **

Well, it appears as though the Hilton Columbia MD and Hagerstown Hotel are no longer available. Will keep checking, though.

Did find the White Hall Manor B&B with rooms for $120. They're located in Greencastle PA.

Kellogg, Washington Suites & the Legacy are still available, as well.

However, most are only available now for 4 night stays (01/18 - 01/22), so keep that in mind.

** Update (11/12/2008 @ 10am) **

The Hilton Columbia is again showing available rooms (starting at $203/night).

** Update (11/12/2008 @ 12pm) **

Found a few places in extreme outlying areas (65+ miles out), but still worth checking out:

Boston Inn Westminster, MD - $181 average nightly rate

Eisenhower Hotel & Conference Center Gettysburg, PA: $107 average nightly rate

Super 8 Thurmont, MD: $76 average nightly rate

** Update (11/12/2008 @ 4pm) **

Carlyle Suites Hotel DC - $529/nt

Clarion Hotel Aberdeen MD - $129.99 average nightly rate

** Update (11/13/2008 @ 3pm) **

Comfort Inn Andrews Air Force Base, Clinton MD - $154/night

Holiday Inn Dumfries - starting at $400/night

InterContinental Hotels Harbor Court Baltimore has a few rooms now available, starting at $495/night

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Annapolis from $382/night

Still available:
White hall B&B - Greencastle PA
Quality Inn & Suites Chambersburg PA
Holiday Inn Laurel West
Washington Suites Georgetown
Carlyle Suites

** Update (11/14/2008 @ 10am) **

Admiral Fell Inn, Baltimore - $177/nt

Churchill Hotel is now offering the Junior Suite for $1,200 per night.

Holiday Inn Laurel MD, $263/nt

Still available:
Comfort Inn Andrews AFB
White hall B&B - Greencastle PA
Quality Inn & Suites Chambersburg PA
InterContinental Hotels Harbor Court Baltimore

** Update (11/14/2008 @ 1pm) **

Hotels in York, PA booking up quickly for Inauguration -- lots of rooms left, tho, starting at $45/night.
http://www.resideo.com/us/pennsylvania/york

** Update (11/20/2008 @ 4pm) **

Gaylord National in DC offering rooms for $700/night

Kellogg Conference Hotel @ Gaullaudet University has rooms available again, at $750/night

Churchill Hotel - $1200/nt

Whitehall B&B - $120/nt

** Update (11/25/2008 @ 12pm) **

Hyatt Regency Bethesda has availability ($699 during Inauguration)

Crowne Plaza, Hamilton - from $819/night

Mainstay Suites, Frederick MD - $139/nt

** Update (12/01/2008 @ 10am) **

Crowne Plaza Hamilton, Washington DC - $819/night

Churchill Hotel, Washington DC - $1,200/night

Comfort Suites Fredericksburg VA - $123/nt (approx 1hr from DC)

White Hall Manor B&B, Greencastle PA - $120/nt (approx 1hr, 30min from DC)

Quality Inn Chambersburg PA - $107/nt (approx 2hrs from DC)

** Update (12/03/2008 @ 3pm) **

New!

Westin National Harbor - $554/nt

Hyatt Regency Bethesda - $614/nt

Royal Oak House B&B - Royal Oak, MD (1hr 40min) - $269/nt

An option suggested by a reader would be to stay in Richmond, VA. Rates at hotels there have not been inflated (as much), and visitors can catch Amtrak from Richmond directly into DC. Cheapest option: America's Best Value Inn @ Airport for $45/nt.

Still available:

Crowne Plaza Hamilton
Churchill
White Hall B&B
Quality Inn Chambersburg

** Update (12/04/2008 @ 12pm) **

Found 2 new hotels with availability:

Sheraton Rockville, MD - $499/nt

Holiday Inn Express Annapolis - now $739 (was $382 a few weeks ago)

** Update (12/05/2008 @ 12pm) **

Here's a full list of currently available hotels for the Inauguration:

New! Virginia Suites, Arlington - Studio Suite, $381.50 average nightly rate

Churchill Hotel, DC - $1,200/nt
Crowne Plaza Hamilton - from $950/nt

Holiday Inn Express Annapolis - $739/nt
Westin National Harbor - $554/nt
Sheraton Rockville MD - Traditional Room, $499/nt
Hyatt Regency Bethesda - $614/nt

White Hall Manor B&B, Greencastle PA - from $120/nt
Quality Inn Chambersburg PA - $92/nt

Plenty of hotels still in Richmond, VA

** Update (12/08/2008 @ 1pm) **

LOTS of availability opened up over the weekend.

Close to DC, the Alexandria Travelodge has rates that start at $136/nt

Days Inn Arlington ($467/nt)

Hanover, MD
Ramada BWI / Arundel Mills - from $350/nt

** Update (12/16/2008 @ 12pm) **

Still LOTS of hotels in the area available...

within 20 miles of DC there's:

Crowne Plaza Hamilton
Virginian Suites
Hyatt Regency Bethesda
Doubletree Hotel Bethesda
Radisson Hotel Largo
The Legacy Hotel And Meeting Centre
Sheraton Rockville Hotel
Hyatt Fair Lakes

Within 20 miles of Baltimore, there's:
Hampton Inn Baltimore - Camden Yards
Admiral Fell Inn
Holiday Inn Express Baltimore At The Stadiums
Crowne Plaza Hotel Baltimore North-Hunt Valley
Holiday Inn Express Edgewood

** Update (12/18/2008 @ 12pm) **

Even more hotels have opened up availability -- now over 10 hotels within 20 miles:

Crowne Plaza Hamilton
Washington Suites Georgetown
Virginian Suites
Comfort Inn Pentagon
Comfort Inn Silver Spring
Hawthorn Suites - Alexandria
Doubletree Hotel Bethesda
Radisson Hotel Largo
The Legacy Hotel And Meeting Centre
Hyatt Fair Lakes
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Waldorf, Md

** Update (12/30/2008 @ 11am) **

Even more hotels have availability for the inaguration -- as folks cancel reservations, etc.

Hampton Inn & Suites Herndon Reston -- $379/nite!

College Football bowl game & host city hotel finder

2008-11-04T10:58:00.011-06:00

Well, the College football season may just be half over, but the BCS standings & bowl projections have already begun! If you're interested in following your favorite to their bowl game, be sure to check out this host city & bowl game list when you're ready to book.

BCS National Championship Game
2009 Miami, FL
2010 Pasadena, CA
2011 Glendale, AZ
2012 New Orleans, LA

PapaJohn's.com Bowl - Birmingham, Ala.
GMAC Bowl - Mobile, Ala.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Ariz.
Insight Bowl - Tempe, Ariz.

Rose Bowl presented by Citi - Pasadena, Calif.
Emerald Bowl - San Francisco, Calif.
Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego, Calif.
Holiday Bowl - San Diego, Calif.

EagleBank Bowl - Washington, DC

Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, Fla.
Orange Bowl - Miami, Fla.
Champs Sports Bowl - Orlando, Fla.
Capital One Bowl - Orlando, Fla.
St. Petersburg Bowl - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Outback Bowl - Tampa, Fla.

Chick-fil-A Bowl - Atlanta, Ga.

Hawaii Bowl - Honolulu, Hawaii

Humanitarian Bowl - Boise, Idaho

Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, La.
New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, La.
Independence Bowl - Shreveport, La.

Motor City Bowl - Detroit, Mich.

Las Vegas Bowl - Las Vegas, Nev.

New Mexico Bowl - Albuquerque, N.M.

Meineke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte, N.C.

Liberty Bowl - Memphis, Tenn.
Music City Bowl - Nashville, Tenn.

Cotton Bowl - Dallas, Texas
Sun Bowl - El Paso, Texas
Armed Forces Bowl - Fort Worth, Texas
Texas Bowl - Houston, Texas
Alamo Bowl - San Antonio, Texas

International Bowl - Toronto, Canada

We'll do our best to keep this list updated year-to-year. If you know of any I've missed, or any that need updating, let us know! Source

Get the "Presidential" treatment this election

2008-10-28T12:25:00.002-05:00

Well, Election Day is almost here, and in honor of this we've collected some hotels with some "Presidential" history. Below you'll find places where you can be treated like a president, or where a past US President has actually stayed.

First up, it's a hotel named after one of the greatest US Presidents:
President Abraham Lincoln Hotel
Springfield, Illinois
It's located just 3 blocks from the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Brown Palace Hotel
Denver, CO

Over the years legendary guests such as Ike, Churchill, and the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson have passed through the doors of The Brown Palace Hotel. The "Unsinkable" Molly Brown even stayed here just a week after the Titanic disaster. Guests of The Brown Palace Hotel still include many entrepreneurs, legislators, presidents and foreign officials.

JW Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC

The National Theater is a historic playhouse located adjacent to the hotel that has provided entertainment for every U.S. President since Andrew Jackson.

Hotel Josephine
Holton, KS

The original guest registries, including U.S. President Grover Cleveland’s signature, are available for viewing.

1805 Cameron Estate Inn and Restaurant
Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

The mansion was built in 1805 by Dr. John Watson, who was the great-grandfather of U.S. President William McKinley.

So, be sure to vote, then head out and enjoy the best America has to offer.

From Around the Web: Motel 6 to go carpetless in rooms in an effort to go green

2008-10-24T08:59:00.004-05:00

A press release caught my eye this morning, and I did a double-take as soon as I read it. Apparently, in an effort to go green, the Motel 6 chain is planning to get away from having carpet in their guest rooms, and going with a "wood-effect laminate flooring" (starting first with its "Phoenix Prototype", and then moving on to hotels that are currently in the design stages (or currently being renovated), and then onto all other properties.

Here's a link to the original press release.

While I applaud hotels that take efforts to cut back on waste, this just strikes me as odd. I don't think I'd want to stay in a room that didn't have carpet. *shudders*

I mean, think about all the crud that will stick to the bottom of your feet as you walk around the room. At least with carpet, most pieces of "stuff" will be grabbed by the carpet. Ok, so let's not think about that...

Anywho, so what do you guys think about this news?

Boo! Haunted Hotels...

2008-10-15T10:25:00.007-05:00

Updated 10/2010

Well, it's that time of year again -- time for trick-or-treating, ghosts, goblins and all sorts of paranormal fun!

What better way to celebrate Halloween than to stay in an actual haunted hotel! Who knows what you'll see or hear!

To help you save time, I've searched Resideo and found the following hotels that claim to be haunted or have some sort of connection to the paranormal.

Queen Mary Hotel
Long Beach, CA
... Throughout the year, the Queen Mary Hotel offers regularly-scheduled day and night guided and self-guided paranormal tours of the haunted ship. ...

Queen Anne Hotel
San Francisco, CA
... According to legend, it is still haunted by the ghost of Mary Lake, who was the school’s superintendent and mistress of Senator Fair. ...

Georgian Hotel
Santa Monica, CA
... During prohibition, the Art Deco hotel housed a popular speakeasy and is now rumored to be haunted by certain unearthly guests. ...

Sutherland House Bed & Breakfast
Canandaigua, NY
... A scrapbook that documents the home’s transformation from a haunted house to a bed and breakfast is available for guests to peruse. ...

Planters inn on Reynolds Square
Savannah, GA
... Rooms include in-room safes. Bathrooms feature bathrobes and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. Expert Tip. Legend has it that the hotel is haunted. ...

The Marshall House
Savannah, GA
... The Travel Channel has featured The Marshall House several times on their haunted hotel programs. Please Note: Fees apply for valet parking or self parking. ...

1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
... Springs, Arkansas. The amazing hotel has a rich and fascinating history and is considered by some to be a haunted hotel. The Crescent ...

Glen Tavern Inn
Santa Paula, CA
... Tudor-Craftman style hotel property has been the site of several western films and embraces a reputation of being somewhat enigmatic, if not altogether haunted ...

Magnolia Mansion
New Orleans, LA
... Expert Tip. The Magnolia Mansion was featured on the Today Show’s "Travel" section on account of rumors that the mansion is haunted by friendly ghosts. ...

The Holt Hotel
Adderbury, GB
... 1475. It is situated on the edge of the Cotswolds and is said to be haunted by a highwayman who used to frequent the establishment. ...

New for 2009:

Omni Park House
Boston, MA
From about.com: "The third floor is the paranormal hotspot at this historic Boston hotel. Charlotte Cushman, a renowned 19th century stage actress who played both male and female roles (Lady Macbeth as well as Hamlet), died in 1876 in her room on the third floor. Now, one of the elevators often travels on its own to the third floor, even when no buttons are pushed."

New for 2010:

Sofitel Washington Lafayette Square
Washington, DC
The structure was built by a friend of George Washington and is purported to be haunted...

Biltmore Hotel
Coral Gables, FL
Each Thursday night, ghost stories are told fireside in the hotel lobby.

Well, what do you think -- brave enough to visit one of these, or dare to stay the night? :-)

Twitter-licious!

2008-10-15T08:58:00.005-05:00

Well, by now many of you have heard the buzz about Twitter (and the various clones), so I thought now would be a good time to talk about our Twitter initiative.

@resideo has been up and running for a few months now, and I'm extremely happy with its reception and performance thus far.

We're slowly building our own community of followers and followees, and actively seeking out and interacting with folks who are looking for a hotel but not sure where to start -- all without being spammy and bot-like.

Here's a few messages we've received:

Rebecca_M: This is one more reason why I adore Twitter. @Resideo just made my vacation traveling plans a whole lot easier! Thank you!

retheauditors: New follower @resideo Looks interesting. Anyone else like this on Twitter?
retheauditors: I like your outreach. Not a bot.

Anywho, feel free to check us out, and be sure to "follow" (we always follow back). You can also check us out at the following places:

Pownce
Plurk
Jaiku
Identi.ca
Tumblr
kwippy
friendfeed

Be sure to say hello!

Speaking of contests...

2008-10-09T09:50:00.003-05:00

Came across an interesting post on Twitter this morning. @bloggeries is giving away a 8GB Ipod Nano to someone who substitues the word "bloggeries" instead of "blog posts" or "blogs".

So, I could say "Hey, here's a list of the various bloggeries I contribute to.".

Hey, I think I just entered the contest. Woo!

Seriously, give it a try, and be sure to follow @bloggeries, you'll be glad you did. Original contest info post can be found here.

Microsoft's Live Search...getting desperate?

2008-10-09T09:07:00.004-05:00

Received an email from Microsoft today, and was completely taken aback. Apparently, they're launching getsearchperks.com -- you earn "stuff" by using Microsoft Live Search.

Um. What? Ok, I know Google is the number 1 search engine, and Microsoft sucks, but really, this just screams desperation.

Of course, I signed up anyways, cause I'm a sucker for free stuff. But still...

Oh, almost forgot: You have to use IE in order to take part. Nice.

*UPDATE*
Attempted to download/install their tracking widget -- did not install on 3 different attempts. FAIL

Resideo one of the first to feature TripAdvisor reviews under new agreement

2008-10-08T11:02:00.003-05:00

Hello again!

I know it's been awhile since my last post, but we've been busy here at Resideo. In fact, one of the new features has just been released -- we're now featuring TripAdvisor reviews for all of the hotels in our system. Under a new agreement with Expedia & Hotels.com, affiliates (like us) can now display and link to TripAdvisor reviews.

Everyone already knows that TripAdvisor is *the* place for hotel reviews -- they're the biggest and most respected, for good reason.

So, we're proud to be one of the first to take advantage of this unique arrangement, and we're sure you'll agree.

To see what we're talking about, head over to resideo.com and search for a hotel. Or, for a quick peak, check out the reviews for Gaylord Palms down in Orlando.

We've got lots of other great new features coming soon, so keep checking back!

From around the web: Hotel chains saying goodbye to phone books...

2008-08-05T13:13:00.003-05:00

From the News & Observer (by David Ranii):

Next time you're staying in a hotel in a strange city and need to consult the yellow pages, you might be out of luck.

Some hotel chains have started saying goodbye to phone books.

Their position: Guests no longer let their fingers do the walking through the yellow pages, because they have the Internet at their fingertips.

Read the full article

From around the web: Talks with Google on a Mountain View hotel fizzle

2008-07-10T11:57:00.002-05:00

Negotiations between Mountain View and Google to build a hotel on the city's east side may have fizzled, but officials are still pushing hard to bring a four-diamond resort to the area.

read more | digg story

Hotel Study Shows Rise Of Free In-Room Wireless Internet

2008-06-25T08:22:00.002-05:00

Wireless Internet access is a near ubiquity at U.S. hotels, and fewer properties are charging for the service, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association's 2008 Lodging Survey, which was released this week.The survey, conducted by Smith Travel Research and based on the responses of more than 10,000 U.S. hotels, found that 91 percent of responding properties now offer wireless Internet access, up from 35 percent in 2004. The survey reported that 16 percent of hotels charge for in-room Internet service, down from 19 percent in 2006 and 22 percent in 2004 (BTNonline, Aug. 14, 2006).For the first time this year, AH&LA also included questions about green initiatives in its survey. Twenty percent of hotels reported that they've incorporated elements of the standards the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design standards in the past 12 months, and an additional 21 percent reported that they would be incorporating them within the next 12 months. More than two-thirds of hotels reported that they use energy-efficient lighting.

Source: BTNOnline.com

Search for hotels with free wireless internet, and book your room today at Resideo.com!

read more | digg story

From around the web: 80% of couples from France fight while on holiday

2008-06-18T08:21:00.002-05:00

High percentage of German, UK couples fight during vacation as well...

read more | digg story

From around the web: Hotels in Scotland offering "whisky" turndown service

2008-05-30T14:58:00.002-05:00

"...some very wise, and thoughtful, hoteliers have instituted a unique evening ritual that brings local culture into your hotel room – they offer a whisky turndown. Yes, that’s right, whisky by your bedside. Sitting there when you come back to your room in the evening and it is sure to help smooth your day out." Beats chocolate on the pillow!

read more | digg story

Contest alert!

2008-05-08T08:37:00.003-05:00

If you're like me (and pray that you aren't), then you love contests. I'm all about the free stuff, baby...

Anywho -- the Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa in Scottsdale Arizona is having a contest: "Name Our Cactus".

That's right, name one (or all 6) cacti and be entered to win a free trip to the resort.

How cool is that!

Worst of the worst: Barcelo Talanquera...

2008-04-30T09:01:00.002-05:00

Time for another installment of "Worst of the worst", where we spotlight a negative review. The following review is from a guest who stayed at the Barcelo Talanquera in the Dominican Republic.

I WOULD GIVE THIS PLACE A NEGATIVE STAR IF IT WOULD LET ME. THIS PLACE WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE PLACE I EVER STAYED THE PICTURES THAT ARE SHOWN ARE NONE EXISTANT THE ROOMS ARE MUSKY AND THE AC DOES NOT WORK THE EMPLOYEES THERE HATE AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS THEY ACT LIKE THEY ARE DOING YOU A FAVOR. ITS NOT ALL INCLUSIVE HAVE TO PAY TO EAT IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT IS NOT ADVERTISED. SECURITY DOES NOTHING HAD ITEMS STOLEN FROM MY ROOM MANAGEMENT DID NOTHING BUT TOLD US TOO BAD SORRY. HAS OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR ANYONE TO COME OFF THE STREET FOR THE DAY, DID NOT GET TO EVEN USE THE POOL BECAUSE THE PEOPLE LET IN ACT LIKE ANIMALS ALSO RAID THE BUFFET AREA LIKE THEY HAVENT EATEN IN DAYS. SAVE YOUR TIME, AGGRIVATTION AND SANITY STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOTEL. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

You can view the original review, or check out the Barcelo Talanquera for yourself.

See you next time!

Cool idea! The "Green" hotel room keycard...

2008-04-23T08:31:00.002-05:00

Saw a write-up about Green-Key recently and wanted to share with the rest of the world.

"Green-Key™ is an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional plastic hotel keycard. Unlike plastic keycards, Green-Key™ is recyclable, biodegradable and produced from paperboard, a renewable resource. Its paperboard construction also makes it an economical choice versus other high priced eco-friendly products."

What a great idea. I know I don't always turn my room key card back in at the front desk, and I usually end up throwing them away. This is an awesome idea, and I hope hotels seek this (or others, if there are any) out.

From around the web: Google Mum On Plans to Build Hotel/Convention Center

2008-04-01T14:44:00.002-05:00

Google missed a deadline on Friday to cough up plans for a new hotel and convention center in Mountain View, according to the Palo Alto Daily News.

read more | digg story

From around the web: The smoke patrol: Hotel is nation's first to reward its sniff-staff

2008-02-20T08:25:00.002-06:00

By Louis R. Carlozo, Chicago Tribune McClatchy-Tribune Regional News

Feb. 19--Ever since she was a little girl in the Robert Taylor Homes, Linda Davis has hated cigarette smoke -- hated it. The soft-spoken Swissotel housekeeper, who wears a four-star-crisp white apron and immaculate matching sneakers and socks, winces at the memory of her mom filling her childhood home with billows of tobacco exhaust.

To demonstrate how it makes her feel, she massages her temples as if fighting off another tension headache -- the kind she gets only when facing the remains of cigarettes, pipes or cigars.

Especially cigars. "They're the worst," says Davis, 34, her ever-present smile curdling for a moment in disgust.

Back when her mother turned the family apartment into a smoke box, Davis fought back by flinging open the windows, even when winter weather might discourage it. Now, when Davis walks into a Swissotel room and catches that telltale scent -- and she can always catch it, thanks to her hair-trigger headaches -- she sets about freshening the premises, changing the linens.

Then she turns the guest in, for which she gets a $10 reward -- while the offender gets slapped with a $250 fine.

Swissotel isn't the first Chicago hotel to ban smoking and levy stiff penalties against rule breakers. But with a top-to-bottom renovation of 632 rooms under way, Swissotel is getting extra tough, paying housekeepers such as Davis for turning in no-smoking scofflaws. This makes Swissotel the only hotel in the country that rewards staff for collaring smokers in its rooms, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, a trade group in Washington.

As for why Swissotel went to such lengths to extinguish smoking, "It was quite simple, really," says hotel manager Jack Breisacher. "The housekeepers spend between 30 and 45 minutes in the guest room and they were being impacted healthwise; they taste the smoke and breathe the smoke. So even without the meager $10 we give them, they're quite on board."

That goes for his guests, too: "We started a blog a few weeks ago and the response was unbelievably in favor. Of the 50 or so people who wrote in only two said, 'We can't believe you're turning the maids into vigilantes.' But some people are saying, 'We can't believe you didn't do this sooner.'"

What's more, three staffers have since quit smoking. Breisacher's thrilled, for the most part.

"I wish I could get my wife to stop," he says.

The strategy also points to Chicago hotels as another front line in the city's ongoing battle against smokers. Swissotel doesn't just want to sweep out the ashes -- it's shooting for green certification from the city, meaning it has to prove the building has superior air quality. To that end, Davis maintains she's caught a few people each week since Swissotel's all-room smoking ban began Dec. 3. To date, 22 guests have gotten socked with fines -- with two granted amnesty because it turned out that friends did the smoking, according to hotel officials.

While not on the level of "CSI: Swissotel," Davis and her co-workers rely on circumstantial evidence to prove a case of surreptitious smoking. Besides using her sense of smell, Davis inspects for telltale signs of cheating. Smokers for example often use glasses as ashtrays then wash out the offending ash. The visual evidence may be gone but in many cases, odor lingers in the glass. Or a guest might spray air freshener in the room. That's often a dead giveaway, because Swissotel doesn't spray cheap scents in its rooms (let alone ones commingled with the aroma of stale ash).

When Davis thinks she's got a live one, she reports it to John Weiss, Swissotel's head of housekeeping. More sniffing ensues; if they make the determination that someone has been puffing in the room, they take it to the hotel brass. So far no one has fought the charges for covert smoking, save those two whose pals did the puffing.

Some guests have even been fined after checking out.

How much dough has Davis made on all that illicit smoke? "It's not really about the money," she insists. "It's about my health. It just slows you down."

Even more so when some cagey puffers try to make a game of it. "I had one guest who stayed with us three days -- and he would hide his cigarettes under a mattress," Davis recalls. "And he'd say, 'Oh, you don't have to make the bed today.' But I'm going in there with a fresh nose."

Does she feel bad turning in, say, big-tipping tobacco truants? "Sometimes," she says. Then she remembers her headaches and gets ornery: "It gets me dizzy, like a hangover."

A few steps north at the Michigan Avenue Marriott, a similar ban has been in place since September 2006, with an identical $250 fine. As for turning housekeepers into paid mercenaries on the no-smoking front, "We do not do that, but I think it's a clever idea," says Marriott general manager Doug Ridge. As for how many smokers they catch, Ridge estimates the number at fewer than a dozen per year.

"We don't make money off it," Ridge says of the fines. "Depending on how strong the smell of the smoke is, we lose the room from inventory for two to three days."

Ditto at Swissotel, where it costs at least $400 to refurbish a room back to its pre-smoky state. The painstaking process begins with a total washdown of all surfaces -- hard-cased woods get lathered in oil soap, draperies stripped, feather duvets and bed skirts dry cleaned, bathroom surfaces scrubbed.

When all that's done, an ionizer the size of a large toaster oven -- known to the hotel staff as "the red box" -- sanitizes the air overnight. Because it produces pure oxygen, no one can stay in a guest room while it runs.

While the policy change has been personally rough on some Swissotel employees -- including Weiss, who admits to smoking nearly a pack a day -- Davis loves the sharp drop in headaches she's experienced as the hotel has phased out smoking. She celebrated her ninth year at Swissotel on Friday; about a decade ago, the building had roughly 170 smoking rooms on nine floors.

Maybe it's all that clean air that's making Davis extra feisty. "I know somebody's been smoking up there sometime today," she says, sounding more like a sly private eye than a meek maid. "And I'm going to find them."

From around the web: The Four Star/Diamond Rating Losing All Meaning

2008-01-28T09:04:00.000-06:00

The Four Star/Diamond Rating Losing All Meaning
By Glenn Haussman

There’s something screwy with the Four Star and Four Diamond designation. And the more I travel the more I fear for this gold standard’s relevancy.

While I respect what AAA and Mobil have done in regards to rating hotels so consumers can get a sense of what to expect at a hotel, I worry that this particular rating level has lost all meaning whatsoever.

It’s not necessarily these organizations’ fault, but the business of hospitality has changed wildly during the past 20 years. It’s time for a change.

The definition of what a four star property is must be clarified. In my opinion the swing between hotels that just squeaked by to achieve this rating is so far removed by those at the top end of the scale, it’s rendered the entire designation meaningless.

Here’s my beef. During this last year I have been fortunate to have stayed in many of these properties. While some were absolutely luxurious, some were so laughably bad I’ve become perplexed as to how these properties all received the same designation. It’s effectively putting this wide spectrum of hotels on the same level in the collective consumer mindset.

It’s not fair to the owners and staff of the properties that have worked extra hard to achieve four Star/Diamond status, and its not good for the Mobil and AAA brand names either.

During the last few weeks I experienced both sides of this rating dilemma. Recently I was a featured speaker at a conference – ironically the topic was luxury hotels. When I arrived at the hotel I was greeted by a wall full of plaques showing the designation from the last seven years. I was filled with a sense of relief; that is until I got to the hotel room.

The beds were atrocious; pillows were just quarter inch thick foam, linens rough to the touch. There was a balcony, but with cheap white plastic chairs that had started to discolor with age. The television was undersized and bathroom amenities were pitiful.

Even worse, service was abysmal. Throughout my stay, staff refused to make eye contact. But the topper was that I had an internet connectivity problem that sent me on a whirlwind of disgust as I tried to get my issue solved. Staff refused to handle the situation properly. I must have spoken to 10 people over a three hour period before they realized I was not going to let this issue drop. No one took ownership of the problem. They even refused to tell me the name of the general manager or connect me to his office. This property and the GM should be ashamed of themselves.

Additionally, the food was laughably bad and the décor went out of style sometime around Crocket and Tubbs were at the top of the Neilson ratings.

Oh yeah, the hotel’s staff also neglected to tell me a commercial was filming right outside my room. I got the pleasure of having stadium sized lights directed right on my room past 11 PM. On a Friday night. Real nice. Great customer service. Thanks.

Then there’s the flip side. This other hotel was the ultimate in upper upscale accommodations. Marble was everywhere and it was impeccably clean. Here I found spacious bathrooms, amazing bedding, linens and oversized fluffy towels. There were three – that’s right, three – flat panel televisions including a 17” model in the bathroom. Additionally, the internet connection was blazing fast and the staff was amazing. Every single employee I came into contact with looked at me and said hello. Many asked if I needed anything. Housekeepers were chatty and everyone was extremely polite. The food was impeccable too.

So how exactly is it fair that both these hotels have exactly the same rating? It simply doesn’t make any sense no matter how you parse it.

It’s time for a radical change. Here’s what I propose: Split the four Star/Diamond rating into two categories. Keep lower end properties at four, but push the rest to five. Then add a sixth level and put all today’s five Star/Diamond hotels into the new category.

This will not only eliminate confusion at the four Star/Diamond level, but finally give those at the top end of the market the sixth Star/Diamond they have been craving and crowing about for some time.

Let me know what you think. Am I onto something here? Or am I once again off my rocker? Drop me a line and let me know.

From around the web: 2007’s Best and Worst Public Toilets

2008-01-04T10:35:00.002-06:00

From luxury loos to crappy crappers, Where’s the Toilet? reveals its best and worst public toilet experiences of 2007.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Hotel chain offers a room at the inn for Marys and Josephs

2007-12-17T09:03:00.001-06:00

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Josephs and Marys in search of a room at the inn this Christmas are being made an offer they can't refuse.

A British hotel chain is promising free accommodation to couples who share their first names with the couple from the Christian Nativity story.

Almost 30 Josephs and Marys had already signed up for the free night's stay at the Travelodge, said Shakila Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the hotel chain.

"The 'gift' of a free night's stay is to make up for the hotel industry not having any rooms left on Christmas Eve over 2000 years ago when the original 'Mary and Joseph' had to settle for the night in a stable," the company says on its Web site.

The offer is good at any one of the chain's 322 hotels in the United Kingdom, the Web site says. The couples must bring proof of identity and must prove that they are in a long-term relationship.

"If you satisfy the criteria, you get a free night in a family room for two adults and two children," Ahmed said. "There's also parking space for a donkey if needed," she joked.

Ahmed said the offer, which will run from Christmas Eve to Twelfth Night -- December 24 to January 5 -- had been very well-received.

"We've had a lot of interest. I think people like the fact that it resonates with the Nativity story at a time when the actual meaning of Christmas often becomes forgotten in festive overkill," she said.

Couples can register their names at a special e-mail address set up by Travelodge, which has hotels across the Britain, Ireland and Spain, Ahmed said.

Guest Blog: The many faces of Johnny Depp

2007-11-29T13:02:00.000-06:00

Today I'd like to welcome a guest author -- someone near and dear to me: my wife, Jamie! :-)

Haven't yet got her own blog going, so for now, I'll present her writings here. They won't necessarily be travel-related, so it should make for a nice change of pace.

So, without further interruption: The many faces of Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp, undoubtedly one of the most versatile actors in today’s Hollywood, is blessed with the ability to not only portray any role placed in front of him, but can also find humor in spoofing himself. Some of his most notable and memorable roles stem from his collaborations with Tim Burton.

Two to date come to mind when I think of Johnny Depp. The first of these was his portrayal of Ichabod Crane in “Sleepy Hollow”. Ichabod is a most memorable performance showcasing the awkward literary legend as only awkward in behavior, not appearance. I loved how Depp was able to capture the passion of the magistrate’s love of science, along with his instability in doing so. As when he goes to “operate” on the late Widow Winship, he clearly can understand like no other what he is looking for but seems to hardly stomach it.

Another notable collaboration with Burton is that of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” as the eccentric Willy Wonka. Depp captures the naïve boy in Wonka, while learning what he’s been missing in a family for so long. But who can truly not laugh when the excited Wonka declares he “has transportation!” and turns to slam face first in the glass elevator? Self humor at its best!

The soon to premier “Sweeney Todd” showcases yet another collaboration between Depp and Burton, and promises to please for all who love the team! I know I’m excited to grasp this new eccentric character so masterfully portrayed by Johnny Depp, being led by Burton, on another adventure! To learn the quirks of Sweeney Todd that can only be conveyed by the masters of the craft!

Bring it on Johnny and Tim!!

Editor's note: You can visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace or visit the official Sweeney Todd movie site.

Google gadget mania!

2007-11-06T13:47:00.003-06:00

Howdy, folks!

I know I've only had some "From around the web" posts lately, but we have been busy here at Resideo, so I'm sure you'll forgive me!

One thing I have been working on is creating some unique and useful Google Gadgets. Now, Google Gadgets are pretty nifty, and allow designers to include all sorts of interesting things that can be included on your Google customized home page and any other site you maintain.

So far, I've created 3 fairly simple gadgets:

Hotel/Destination/Activity Search
Allows you to search for a hotel name, city and/or activity ("Snow Ski Vail", "London hotels", etc.). We return the most relevant results right there in the gadget box.

Random Hotel
Admittedly, not very useful, but pretty darn cool if you ask me. This gadget displays a different property each time it's loaded -- randomly from over 30,000 hotels and resorts from all over the world.

Recent Hotel Q&A
My very first Google Gadget, this widget displays the most recent questions that have been posted by site visitors.

Anywho, feel free to take a look, add them to your site and/or Google homepage, and let me know what you think!

Until next time...

From around the web: Where do those used bars of soap go?

2007-10-23T09:24:00.001-05:00

Well, at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, those slivers of soap are turned over to a local company called Laboratoire Dermoderm, which mixes them with volcanic stone to make a cream that removes substances such as paint, grease, tar and ink from the hands of artists, gardeners and mechanics.

read more | digg story

From around the web: 14-ounce bottle of water: $42

2007-10-22T11:46:00.001-05:00

a 14-ounce bottle of New Zealand mineral water priced at 21 British pounds (about $42) at London's luxurious and legendary Claridge's hotel. It's on the hotel's new water menu that includes rare H20 from around the globe.

read more | digg story

From around the web: The world’s biggest hotels

2007-10-11T08:55:00.001-05:00

The Forbes Traveler list of the world’s biggest hotels...

MGM Grand, Las Vegas
First World Hotel, Genting Highlands, Malaysia
Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki
Venetian, Las Vegas
Excalibur, Las Vegas
Paris, Las Vegas
Palazzo, Las Vegas
Luxor, Las Vegas

read more | digg story

From around the web: $4.00 cup of tea at Hyatt Regency San Antonio

2007-10-09T08:58:00.001-05:00

"'That’ll be $8.65.'"I stared at the two paper cups of hot water, the two packaged tea bags and told the waitress in the lobby bar at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio that there must have been a mistake, since all I’d ordered was two cups of tea. 'It’s $8.65,' she repeated.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Why do some hotels have more (or less) cable channels than others?

2007-10-02T10:21:00.001-05:00

One of my pet peeves as a road warrior is hotels that skimp on cable channels. Is there a reason that at one you'll get 50 and at another you get 10?

read more | digg story

From around the web: Disney details 2008 "Dreams" giveaways, includes stay at Castaway Cay

2007-10-01T17:02:00.001-05:00

On Monday, Disney Parks released details of the extension of its successful "Year of a Million Dreams" campaign, kicking off the 2008 continuation of giveaways by awarding an overnight stay at Disney's private Bahamian island, Castaway Cay, on "Good Morning America."

read more | digg story

From around the web: Hotel guest rips head off of duck at hotel, now faces jail time

2007-09-25T09:39:00.001-05:00

A guest at the Embassy Suites hotel in St. Paul could face jail time and a $5,000 fine for ripping the head off a tame duck (while yelling "I'm hungry!"). The 26-year-old Denver businessman is in jail on suspicion of felony animal cruelty and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Roswell couple denied anniversary stay at Motel 6 because they're local!

2007-09-24T10:51:00.001-05:00

When a local couple decided to spend their wedding anniversary at a hotel, they never thought there would be a problem with checking in to a Roswell hotel to enjoy the pool and hot tub and get away from home a few days. However, the couple said they were denied a room at Motel 6 because they are locals.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Going Green Behind The Wheel, Willard InterContinenal offers use of hybrids to guests

2007-09-19T15:13:00.001-05:00

As part of the Willard InterContinental's ongoing commitment to sustainable development, the luxury downtown hotel will now offer guests an alternative mode of transportation in the form of a 2007 Toyota Camry four-door Hybrid sedan, for a moderate fee.

read more | digg story

Check out TripIt.com - officially launched

2007-09-19T12:20:00.000-05:00

I heard about TripIt.com awhile back, when they first came online in beta. Well, yesterday they officially announced their full launch.

TripIt offers folks a way to plug in every little piece of information about an upcoming trip -- hotel information, confirmation numbers, daily itineraries, maps, etc. -- all in one place. You can also share your trips with other people and they can make notes, changes, etc.

The interface leaves a bit to be desired, but the concept is sound. Definitely going to be using this in the future (and most likely 'borrowing' some ideas for use at Resideo.

Check it out!

From around the web: 5 worst things that can happen to a traveler

2007-09-17T17:17:00.003-05:00

What’s the worst thing that can happen when you're traveling? A traffic accident? Terrorist hijacking? Hotel fire? Travel is risky, of course. But there’s just no way of knowing when your number will be up, and your plane will go down.

read more | digg story

From around the web: In search of honeymoon horror stories

2007-09-17T17:17:00.001-05:00

USAToday.com Hotel Hotsheet is looking for your honeymoon horror stories...

read more | digg story

Property of the month: Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California

2007-09-14T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone, and welcome back!

This month, our spotlight shines on Madonna Inn, located in San Luis Obispo, California (about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles).

So, what's unique about Madonna Inn, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Madonna Inn has been around for over 50 years, and each room is uniquely themed and decorated.

There's the Hearts and Flowers room, Romance and many many more (109 total).

You can check out the official site, or read more about Madonna Inn at Wikipedia.

See you next time!

From around the web: Ten hotels that made history

2007-09-13T15:33:00.001-05:00

From a hotel with a link to Hitler, to the place where Diana had her last meal, these 10 hotels are forever linked with history.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Japanese toilet that washes and dries you coming to Chicago hotel

2007-09-13T08:47:00.001-05:00

Have you heard about the toilets with heated seats and automatic washing and drying systems that are making a splash in Japan? Well, book a room at the Westin Chicago River North to try one out!

read more | digg story

From around the web: Couple Stay In Hotel For 22 Years

2007-09-12T10:03:00.001-05:00

An eldery couple from Sheffield, UK have lived in Travelodge hotels for over 20 years.

read more | digg story

Pictures from SES 2007 San Jose

2007-09-10T11:43:00.000-05:00

I finally got around to uploading Exhibit Hall pictures from SES 2007 in San Jose -- check em out!

Also, pics from Google Headquarters are available for your viewing pleasure...

Enjoy!

From around the web: Westin St. Francis looking for couples who met “under the clock"

2007-09-06T09:30:00.001-05:00

The Westin St. Francis, renowned for its historic elegance and old world grandeur, is celebrating the centennial anniversary of their Great Magneta Grandfather Clock by launching a nationwide search for a special couple who met “under the clock.”

read more | digg story

From around the web: Contest! Design the new Embassy Suites "Do Not Disturb" sign

2007-09-06T08:52:00.001-05:00

Five winners get trips to hot destinations and an Embassy Suites stay, and their Do Not Disturb signs will be rotated at Embassy Suites properties.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Peninsula Tokyo Hotel rooms now feature fingernail & toenail dryers

2007-09-05T09:36:00.001-05:00

The Peninsula Tokyo has over-the-top amenities nailed. Every room at the new luxury hotel, which opened over Labor Day weekend, has a dryer for newly lacquered fingers and tootsies. Gadget lovers who don’t do the nail polish thing get bedside controls for everything from lights to air conditioning to blinds to the "do not disturb" sign.

read more | digg story

From around the web: Marriott Wins Conde Nast Traveler's Prestigious 'World Savers' Award

2007-09-05T09:32:00.001-05:00

Marriott International received the prestigious "World Savers" award from Condé Nast Traveler magazine for being a Socially Responsible company. Marriott was selected as the leading "chain hotel & resort" company, with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., receiving an honorable mention in the distinguished second place position.

read more | digg story

Property of the day: The Sainte Claire, San Jose California

2007-08-28T12:28:00.000-05:00

While attending the Search Engine Strategies conference in San Jose, California, I stayed at the Sainte Claire, a historic hotel operated by Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants.

The Sainte Claire is indeed a very nice hotel, located right in the heart of downtown San Jose. Rooms are bit small, but they make up for it with lots of little touches -- robes, a big-screen TV with DVD player (DVDs & CDs are available at no charge) and much more.

It's next to the San Jose McEnery Convention center, and only a few blocks away from many area restaurants and businesses.

You can view some pictures of the Sainte Claire that I took during my stay, or visit the official website.

Blogging SES 2007

2007-08-22T16:54:00.000-05:00

Of course I'm not the only person blogging from SES 2007 in San Jose, there are lots of others doing the same thing.

Below is a list of other bloggers, which I'll attempt to update as I find them:

ask.com
toprankblog.com

More to come!

Still live from SES!

2007-08-22T12:19:00.000-05:00

Well, it's Day 3 here at the Search Engine Strategies conference, and things are still rolling along.

Yesterday was a big day -- the exhibit floor opened up, the sessions were very informative, and, last but not least, last night was the Google Dance!!

Wow, I was definitely impressed. They have a beautiful campus. There was lots to do and see. What caught my eye was the number of Google employees -- they were everywhere! I had no idea there'd be so many.

Anywho...another session is about to start, I'll check in again later!

Live from SES!

2007-08-20T10:05:00.000-05:00

Howdy, folks. I'm reporting live from San Jose, California at the Search Engine Strategies conference. I just checked in, and I'm going over the course materials.

Already met and chatted with some nice folks, and just hanging out a bit before the first session starts!

I'll check in when I can...till then!

Worst of the Worst

2007-08-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

I'm shining a spotlight on 2 hotels this issue, the Sands Ocean Club Resort & the Sand Dunes Resort Hotel, both in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

I have no doubt that these two hotels are fine, upstanding places. In fact, Sands Ocean Club is currently ranked #77 out of 212 area hotels over at tripadvisor, and Sand Dunes Resort is ranked #114 -- not bad, but not great, either.

We've currently received several bad reviews for both, so I thought I'd let you read for yourself!

Sands Ocean Club Resort reviews

Sand Dunes Resort Hotel reviews

I'll be out of town all next week -- many of my coworkers and I will be attending the Search Engine Strategies conference out in San Jose, California. We're looking forward to it!

See you next time...

July 2007 Pick-of-the-month

2007-06-05T16:19:00.001-05:00

It's time again for another "pick", and this month it's Disney's Port Orleans Riverside resort, located in the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida (whew, that's a mouthful)!

Now, I've had the pleasure of staying here on several occassions, but the most recent visit was something really special, as it was for my honeymoon! Ooh...ahh...thank you, thank you. You're too kind, really.

Ahem, sorry about that. :-)

Anywho, the resort is outstanding. It's considered a "Moderate" Disney resort, which means it's nicer than the "Value" resorts (Disney's lowest-priced hotels), but not quite as nice as their "Deluxe" resorts. But, I feel it's definitely worth the price.

Riverside (formerly known as "Dixie Landings") is based on a deep south motif. The resort is layed out on the Sassagoula River. The front building is designed to look like a regal southern entry port. The buildings closest to this area (which also includes the food court and sit-down restaurant) are dubbed the "Alligator Bayou". However, as you progress around down the river, the buildings become more ornate as you move into the "Manor" section. All in all, a great effect.

Guests are within walking distance to Port Orleans French Quarter resort, which is a Disneyfied version of New Orleans' French Quarter. These 2 sister resorts both feature pools, eateries, bus service to the theme parks & boat service to Downtown Disney shopping.

As expected, my bride and I had an amazing trip, and look forward to many many more.

You can read more about Port Orleans Riverside, as well as view pictures and more at the "official" Disney World website.

See you real soon!

Worst of the Worst

2007-06-05T16:03:00.000-05:00

Hello, and welcome to another exciting installment of "Worst of the Worst". In today's episode, we hear from "Samantha", who had a bad experience with the timeshare sales folks over at Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa near Universal Orlando.

Absolutely UNACCEPTABLE Behavior!!!!
I DID NOT ACTUALLY STAY @ THE RESORT, HOWEVER, AFTER THERE UNACCEPTABLE TIMESHARE PRESENTATION I WILL NEVER, EVER, GO THERE AGAIN. THEY HAD ME DROP MY KIDS OFF(3, AGES 5,6,9) FOR "APROX. AN HOUR" WHICH TURNED INTO 3.5 HRS!!!AS SOON AS MY FRIEND AND I BEGAN SPEAKING W/ ALI(THE REP) WE ASSURED HIM WE WERE ONLY THERE FOR THE UNIVERSAL TICKETS AND NOT INTERESTED IN BUYING A TIMSHARE. HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD BUT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OR HE WOULD GET INTO TROUBLE. AFTER SHOWING US THE PICTURES AND EXPLAINING THE PROCESS WE GET ON A GOLF CART AND TRAVELED APROX. 1/4 MILE AWAY FROM WHERE WE BEGAN, HE SHOWED US THE CONDO, WE SAID IT WAS NICE...WE GO TO A DIFFERANT BUILDING AND WE BEGIN TO RUSH HIM BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO LONG THAT MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN AT THEIR DAYCARE-WHICH HE IGNORED!! HE BRINGS OUT A MGR. WHO CALLED US LIARS ABOUT VACATIONING AND ASKED IF WE SAID WE WERE INTERESTED IN PURCHASRING TO MAKE ALI FEEL GOOD, WHICH WE NEVER DID!!!WE STATED FROM THE BEGINING WE WERE NOT INTERESTED!!!SO AFTER BEING HORRIBLY RUDE, HE LEAVES AND ALI GETS KRISTIN TO HELP US, WHO WAS EVEN WORSE THAN THE OTHER TWO-SHE ACTUALLY THREW HER FOLDER AT ME AND SAID "YOU PEOPLE ARE MESSED UP!" WHY? YES, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT INTERESTED IN BUYING A TIMESHARE, IT DID NOT MATTER THAT THEY HAD KEPT ME AWAY FROM MY KIDS FOR OVER 3 HOURS OR THAT WE SAID NO VERY NICELY-REPEATEDLY, FROM THE VERY START, THEN THEY GET UP FROM THE TABLE AND LEAVE US THERE. WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE WERE, HOW TO GET BACK TO MY KIDS, OR EVEN WHERE THE PARKING LOT WAS!!! IT WAS HORRIBLE AND BY THE TIME WE FINALLY LEFT THERE THE TICKETS THAT WE STILL PAID 194.00 FOR WE HAD 3.5 HOURS LEFT TO SPEND AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!! WE HAVE CONTACTED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THIS PLACE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION NOT ONLY FOR MY COMPLAINT BUT FOR THE MANY SIMILIAR COMPLAINTS!! TAKE MY ADVICE, YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH A COMPANY THAT TREATS YOU AND ESPECIALLY YOUR CHILDREN THE WAY THESE PEOPLE TREATED US-WE LEFT IN TEARS! TO MAKE UP FOR OUR MISTREATMENT WE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE COMPANY TO SAY THE EMPLOYEES HAD BEEN REPRIMANDED AND TO ME THAT'S NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH-THEY SHOULD BE FINED AND HAVE THEIR LICENSE WITHDRAWN!!

Yes, she wrote it all out in caps -- crazy, huh? Well, as someone said in reply, it just goes to show that there's no such thing as a free lunch!

Now, the last 4 reviews we've received for the Westgate have all been negative. In fact, the hotel is currently ranked #162 out of 289 properties in Orlando over at TripAdvisor. You've been warned.

See you next time!

Diversions: Yahoo! Answers

2007-05-28T11:02:00.000-05:00

I've been an active participant in Yahoo! Answers for a couple of months now, and figured I'd talk a little bit about it here.

In short, Y!A is a place where you can ask a question about, well, anything and everything. You can also post answers to questions that other folks have asked, and you can contribute by voting for the "best answer".

Most of my time on the site is spent in the "Travel" section. Plenty of folks asking about hotels & wanting recommendations, etc., so I'm more than happy to do a bit of research over at Resideo.

We've actually gotten at least one booking thru the site (possibly more), so that's a pretty good feeling.

Anywho, if you have the chance, head on over and start participating!

Site feature spotlight: Store & Share!

2007-05-11T10:13:00.000-05:00

Howdy folks! Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, we've been staying busy, as always.

It's time for another "feature spotlight" -- this time around, we'll focus on the new "store & share" features available on the site.

Each set of text, whether it's property overview text, a review or a discussion board post, can be stored and/or shared. Click the "Add This" image found below every article and you'll see a popup window which will allow you to store the text on your favorite bookmark site, or share with your friends on your favorite social networking site.

So, if you want to save a review to look at later, click the link & choose del.icio.us or one of the others. If you want to share a particular entry with the world, choose digg or one of the many other social networking sites.

Have fun, and spread the word!

Site feature spotlight: New and improved search!

2007-04-24T12:41:00.000-05:00

One of the new site features unveiled during the site re-launch was our new and improved hotel/destination search. Not enough can be said about this amazing new search.

It's simple: Just start typing whatever it is you're looking for. As soon as you start typing, the system will begin searching our database and returning results in 3 categories: Cities, Hotels & Airports.

The default category view is Hotels -- so you'll begin to see those results first. Over 30,000 hotels are in our database, so you're likely to find what you're searching for. If not, well, that's ok, too. Click "Cities" or "Airports" and we'll show you all the locations that match your search term.

Next to each result are your "view" and "book" options. You can read more about the hotel (or view hotels in the city and/or airport) you've selected, or you can try a quote.

Give it a try, we're sure you'll be surprised!

Site feature spotlight: Contribute your own property overview text!

2007-04-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

Hello, and welcome! Now that our new site features have had time to settle in, here's the first 'how-to' installment I promised. We'll be covering the property "Overview" text editing feature.

That's right -- ordinary folks like yourself (ok, "extraordinary") can now contribute to the text that appears on each of our property pages. We encourage site visitors who have first-hand knowledge of a particular hotel to adjust the text. Has your favorite hotel added a new amenity since your last trip? Did they change names? Well, here's your chance to let the world know.

From the "overview" section, just click the 'edit' link at the bottom of the text block. You'll be asked to sign-in or create a new account -- free!

Once you're in, you'll see an editor window. We show you the existing text at the top, then re-print it in the edit box. Type, type, type away to your hearts content. When you're done, submit the form.

The page will reload, and you'll see your edits live! Now, the changes you just made aren't 'official' until they've been looked over by our staff. But, that process is usually a short one, and the rest of the world is likely to see your masterpiece in 48 hours.

See? Wasn't that easy?! :D

Worst of the Worst

2007-03-22T14:32:00.000-05:00

We get a lot of great reviews over at Resideo. Some positive, some negative, but all good in the sense that there's nothing like hearing about some else's first-hand experience with a hotel!

We received the following review of Poindexter Oceanfront Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC today, and I thought that highlighting some of the more noteworthy "This place stinks" reviews might help some folks make a more informed decision about where not to stay.

So, our first installment is from "Janice":

We Wont Be Back
We arrived to a room that obviously had not had the corners swept in a very long time.The best parts of the room were the view and the clean sheets.When we returned from our outing the next day,we had no clean towels, shampoo,soap,or coffe to use in the coffee pot in the morning. When we called the desk,we were told we had to ome downstairs if we wanted these things beause there was no one to bring them to us. Note: our room was on the 9th floor. The next day wasa repeat of this fiasco. The next day, I left a note on the mirror,which had not been cleaned ,requesting the articles that we would need that day. When we returned that evening, they had been left in the room,and the note was still on the mirror. During our 4 day stay our room was not vacuummed,floors were not swept, bathroom and mirrors were not cleaned. The balcony could not be used due to the amount of bird droppings. We looked for a piece of paper in the nightstand to leave a note for the management expressing our dissatisfaction. Instead, we found a piece of moldy pizza!! I guess that says a lot for the housekeeping. I bet that its still there!

You can view the original review right here.

So, whatcha think...is this a valuable feature for me to continue?

Resideo site enhancements!

2007-03-16T09:55:00.000-05:00

Well, as I mentioned previously, we've been busy working behind-the-scenes on some cool new features -- and I'd like to annouce that the first phase of these enhancements are now online!

:D

The first thing you'll notice is our new layout. We hope the changes present a more elegant look-and-feel and better usability.

However, the most intriguing feature is the ability to contribute to the property overview text. Now, users with first-hand knowledge of a hotel can edit the existing text. Once the changes have been approved by our staff, they are published live for the rest of the world to see. This allows the true experts, those folks that have actually stayed at a hotel, to help folks who are trying to choose a place to stay make a more informed decision.

Last, but not least, site visitors can now bookmark and share reviews, discussion posts & more. Just look for the "Tag this" link.

I'll try and go over in more detail some of the new features in future posts. But, for now, we continue working on even more great features.

February's Picks!

2007-02-21T16:58:00.000-06:00

Greetings!

I know it's been awhile since my last post, so I figured I'd feature a city & a property in this installment -- kinda like a "2-for-1" deal! :-D

Featured City: Niceville, Florida
Yes, it really is nice in Niceville! The city is nice, the folks are nice...well, you get the picture! We currently only have 1 hotel listed in Niceville, but it's closeby to Destin, where there are plenty of places to choose from!

Featured Property: Heart Of Amsterdam
This hotel, located oddly enough right in the heart of Amsterdam, is close to the Tattoo Museum and the Sex Museum. 'Nuff said.

See you next time!

And now for something completely different...

2007-01-16T17:02:00.000-06:00

Howdy!

Hope you all survived the holidays! Things have been quite busy lately, so I haven't had a chance to post lately. But -- keep an eye out for some new features on Resideo...we think you'll like what you see!

Anywho, one of my co-workers sent me the following link, and I definitely got a kick out of it, hope you do too!

TripAdvisor Unpublished Reviews

Enjoy!

Ho Ho Ho....

2006-12-20T21:16:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays, everyone.

I know it's been awhile since I last posted -- but we've been busy behind-the-scenes. Lots of new and cool things coming soon, so keep an eye right here for news and rumors!

Anywho, if you haven't already booked your Holiday vacations, do so now! Lots of special rates can be found all over.

Have a safe and happy Christmas & New Years!

Property-of-the-day: The Ice Hotel Quebec

2006-10-19T17:58:00.000-05:00

Today's spotlight property is The Ice Hotel in Quebec, Canada. Freeze your tail off in the Great White North, eh!

It is made out of ice and snow every year, and melts away in the spring. There are 32 rooms, which contain a sleeping bag to keep you warm while you sleep. Amenities include hot beverages served each morning.

This is definitely a unique experience! You can visit the official site, or book the Ice Hotel online at Resideo, as always!

City-of-the-day: Panama City Beach

2006-09-20T23:44:00.000-05:00

Hello folks! Today we introduce a new section of the site: City-of-the-day, where I highlight a different city.

First up: Panama City Beach, Florida. That's right, our own backyard is full of awesome properties and hotels.

Check often, cause you never know when there will be specials.

Enjoy!

Imagine you manage a hotel...

2006-09-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

I spend a small chunk of each morning here at work (and a small chunk of my time in the evenings after I get home) checking out hotel news sites & individual hotel press releases for articles that I can attach to properties that we have in our reservation system.

It's been interesting to see that some properties haven't updated their own press release webpages in years, while others update on almost a weekly basis. We've seen this sort of thing over and over with hotels during the last few years we've been working closely with hotel managers, etc.: Some just don't seem to give a damn, thinking that folks will come stay at their place regardless of what they do, while others know that keeping active in all aspects of the business is the only way to keep interest up.

A lot of the sites that I keep an eye on (Topix.net, HotelMotel.com, PRNewsWire.com, etc.) tend to do a good job of highlighting important information in the hotel industry -- but an alarming majority of these news bites are "Property XYZ welcomes Joe Schmoe as new Director of Redundancy". Now, don't get me wrong, that's important -- but c'mon, travelers are the ones paying the bills at hotels, and I don't think any of them care about that sort of thing. They want to know about new services, opportunities and the like.

Now, you'd think that any time something new and exciting at a property happened, that they'd announce it to the world, right? You'd be surprised...

Property-of-the-day: Sheraton Taipei Hotel

2006-09-08T10:58:00.000-05:00

Today's property spotlight falls on the Sheraton Taipei Hotel, which is located in what is currently the world's tallest building - Taipei 101.

Talk about a view, eh? The building was completed in 2004, and has held the "World's Tallest Building" title since that time.

So, if you're looking for a room with a view, check out rates and availability. For more information, visit the official site.

Didjaknow? Specials, specials, read all about em...

2006-09-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

We all like to save to money, so with that in mind, Resideo maintains a list of properties that are offering discounts, saving you time and effort (and money!).

Cool!

It's easy: from the Resideo home page, click the "Current Specials" link (found at the bottom of each page). That will take you to a page with a list of cities that have properties with discounts. Click on a city, and you'll see a list of properties in that city, with those offering discounts listed first.

Have fun!

Didjaknow? Post your very own hotel review...

2006-09-05T10:02:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first Didjaknow, a look at interesting items & features at Resideo.

This first Didjaknow is all about hotel reviews -- reviews from real folks like you who want the world to know about their stay, good or bad, at a property.

You can post your review at any of the 27,000+ properties that we have in our system. If you've stayed at a hotel, odds are it's in our system, and odds are someone else on the net wants to know about your visit!

So, first things first: Set up a free Resideo profile. Then, head over to our home page -- there's a special search feature that will allow you to go directly to the review input form for the property you choose. It's that easy!

So, why are you still reading this? Go review!!

I blog, you blog, we all blog...

2006-09-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

Sorry, it's hard to concentrate, cause after coming up with the title for this entry I'm getting hungry for some ice cream. Damn...gotta stay on track here....

Ok, Linda, our SEO tech here at Resideo has started not one, but two blogs! Yikes! I can hardly think of anything to say on a regular basis (hence no post yesterday -- I know, you're crying), and she's got 2.

Her more personal-centric blog is resideolinda.blogspot.com and her more business-oriented blog is wikihoteltravel.blogspot.com -- check em out!

As you may or may not know, Our CTO also has a blog at resideo.blogspot.com.

I'll edit this post as more of the Resideo staffers start their own blogs.

Property-of-the-day: International Inn

2006-08-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

Today's Property-of-the-day is:
International Inn -- Home of Cuddle and Bubble

Yeah, I know what you're thinking..."Cuddle AND bubble? How can they do both?" Well, my friends, they do. They do...

Anywho, International Inn is located in Hyannis, Massachusetts, and offers suites designed to rekindle romance. Each room has a whirlpool and the property features an on-site restaurant, the Gazebo Garden Room. You can visit the official International Inn website, or book your room at Resideo.

Happy bubbling!

Property interaction?

2006-08-29T09:39:00.000-05:00

We've been getting a lot of visitor-supplied questions lately -- which is great. Means more folks are visiting our site and are able to understand the process of creating an account and posting a question (not that it's tough). That's definitely a good thing.

Unfortunately, we're left with the task of answering these questions since there still aren't enough folks flowing through the site to see the questions and answer them in a timely manner. Most questions are pretty easy to answer, but some take a bit of work.

Now, ideally, someone from the property would monitor their forum and answer the questions themselves -- I mean, who knows the property better? But -- I fear that we're going to get some property folks who are going to post their direct phone number and/or webpage address. Is that ok? In the long run, yeah, probably so. Hopefully the original poster, and anyone who might have found our site and is reading the discussion online, will decide "Hey, this is where I want to book the stay". But...well, one never knows....

My boss went to a conference and all I got was this stupid blog

2006-08-28T13:16:00.000-05:00

Well, not really. But, my boss did go to a search engine conference out in California recently, and one of the outcomes was an interest in blogging.

So, with that in mind...Hi! I'm Rob, and I work for Resideo Reservations, an online hotel reservation system. Here, you'll find work-related musings (I'll keep my personal blog, well, somewhere personal) and other potentially boring things.

In theory, I'll post day-to-day office gossip, er, I mean news, as well as talk about features that are available on our site. Maybe highlight an interesting area or property along the way.

Who knows? I know I don't. But stick around, ok?