Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Hotels for wine lovers
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?
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?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Cool (Hotel) Pools
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
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
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
SXSW 09 - Book your hotels quick!
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!
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!
Monday, December 15, 2008
The stories behind the names
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
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
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Destination: Anaheim
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!
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!
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Best cities to celebrate New Years
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 in2009 2010 in style!
Hotels are limited, so book now!
Sources
Celebrations.com
ShermansTravel.com
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
Hotels are limited, so book now!
Sources
Celebrations.com
ShermansTravel.com
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Tech geek friendly hotels
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!
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!
Monday, December 01, 2008
Getaway: Unique Christmas lodging
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!
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!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Destination: Orlando
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Diversion: Sports and the "Hatred Hierarchy"
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. :-)
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!
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
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
Monday, November 24, 2008
Hotels respond to travel downturn by slashing rates
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!
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!
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!
Check us out!
** Edited to add **
Link fixed!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Plan now for Mardi Gras
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 February24th 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...
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
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...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Hello Alltop.com visitors!
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
From Around the Web: World's weirdest hotel guest complaints
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
See you next time!
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!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Un-Traditional Thanksgiving travel ideas
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
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
Thursday, November 06, 2008
"This hotel charges how much for wi-fi?!"
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.
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!
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
College Football bowl game & host city hotel finder
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
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
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Get the "Presidential" treatment this election
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
JW Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC
Hotel Josephine
Holton, KS
1805 Cameron Estate Inn and Restaurant
Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
So, be sure to vote, then head out and enjoy the best America has to offer.
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.
Friday, October 24, 2008
From Around the Web: Motel 6 to go carpetless in rooms in an effort to go green
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?
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?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Boo! Haunted Hotels...
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? :-)
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!
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!
@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!
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Speaking of contests...
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.
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?
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
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
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Resideo one of the first to feature TripAdvisor reviews under new agreement
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!
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!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
From around the web: Hotel chains saying goodbye to phone books...
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
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
Thursday, July 10, 2008
From around the web: Talks with Google on a Mountain View hotel fizzle
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
read more | digg story
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hotel Study Shows Rise Of Free In-Room Wireless Internet
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
Source: BTNOnline.com
Search for hotels with free wireless internet, and book your room today at Resideo.com!
read more | digg story
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
From around the web: Hotels in Scotland offering "whisky" turndown service
"...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
read more | digg story
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Contest alert!
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!
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!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Worst of the worst: Barcelo Talanquera...
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.
You can view the original review, or check out the Barcelo Talanquera for yourself.
See you next time!
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!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Cool idea! The "Green" hotel room keycard...
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.
"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.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
From around the web: Google Mum On Plans to Build Hotel/Convention Center
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
read more | digg story
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
From around the web: The smoke patrol: Hotel is nation's first to reward its sniff-staff
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."
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."
Monday, January 28, 2008
From around the web: The Four Star/Diamond Rating Losing All Meaning
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.
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.
Friday, January 04, 2008
From around the web: 2007’s Best and Worst Public Toilets
From luxury loos to crappy crappers, Where’s the Toilet? reveals its best and worst public toilet experiences of 2007.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)