Lodging

I was recently invited to stay in a Country Inn and Suites, to relax and enjoy their hotels with my girlfriends. I chose the Country Inn and Suites New York location, in Long Island City, Queens, as it is the closest to where I live. This new location, which just opened this past October, has 133-room and is the first Country Inn and Suites in New York City. I’ve stayed at Country Inn and Suites before, and it was a really positive experience for my family. The hotels were clean, the rooms were great, and in my previous experiences, the staff were friendly and helpful.

Based on my experience while staying at the Country Inn and Suites in Queens, I came away with a feeling that, unlike the others I have stayed in, this particular location is probably best for those visiting New York for business, or maybe even for the young traveler on a budget, who will spend most of their time in Manhattan and just need a place to stay that doesn’t cost much.  As for families, it could go either way, depending of what your travel priorities are, price being the main one.

What it has going for it:

The hotel is located in the heart of Long Island City, an emerging cultural neighborhood with close proximity to New York City. It is three blocks away from trains on Queensboro Plaza, which is only one train stop away from downtown Manhattan. In that sense it is conveniently located.

All guestrooms and suites feature complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, and 32-inch LCD television. Some accommodations also offer panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline.

It is an inexpensive stay in comparison to other hotels located in the Manhattan area. The going rate for a one bedroom with a King size or two Queen size beds room is between $110 and $125 on a Saturday to Sunday, none peak season.

The hotel is new, and the rooms are nice and comfortable, similar to my experience at their other locations.

What it has against it:

Though the walk to the train station is short, at night it can be a bit sketchy. The hotel is not located close to any major businesses in the area, including restaurants and shops, without it being a drive away, or a walk through some often dark streets at night. Though as a New Yorker I wouldn’t consider it dangerous, I could see how an out-of-towner would be nervous in walking around at night, or even a family with kids.

Ours was not a view of the Manhattan skyline, but rather one of a parking lot and a factory across the street.

There is very, very limited parking. This may not be a problem if you aren’t traveling with or renting a car (which I would suggest you not do as car travel in the city is time consuming and parking is expensive).

The lobby is small. When I was leaving, I wanted to speak to the General Manager and couldn’t because after a couple of guests arrived, the lobby was full to capacity and the reception area was extremely busy.

Customer service is poor. During my stay, the staff was rude to me and my guests, making us feel uncomfortable and un-welcomed. We weren’t even greeted when we walked in at 9:00 pm, and we were the only ones in the lobby at the time.

Personally, I would not ever stay in this hotel again.  However, every traveler travels with different priorities and needs.

For me, when it comes to hotel stays I have three top priorities: room (cleanliness, quality, comfort), customer service, and location. Anyone of those fails, and it falls out of list of places to stay. In this case, the customer service was the top and location was next.

But if what matters most to you is a clean, hotel room, at an affordable price, and you are comfortable walking anywhere (not sure how easy it is to hail a cab from the hotel), plus find the proximity to Manhattan a huge bonus, than nothing else might bother you about this property.

The Long Island City area, though still a bit rough around the edges in terms of looks, is an up and coming area, and there are many affordable hotels popping up everywhere. I would suggest that you do your research  and read reviews before making your lodging choice.

I am still fond of the Country Inn and Suites. My hope is that the customer service issues, in this particular location, are addressed, because it can ruin anyone’s stay…plus gives us New Yorkers a bad reputation.  Finally, amenities such as free continental breakfast are included, as they are at all Country Inn and Suites locations.

The image that Motel 6 has is of basic lodgings at a value price, and that is a fair assessment of what I received during my stay at the chain’s property located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

Standard 2 Double Bed Motel 6 Room

The motel is actually, technically, in the city of Lake Delton, but Delton and the Dells are twin cities separated only by an invisible barrier. For all intents and purposes, most everything in this twin city area is considered The Dells.

But I digress. The motel is located where I-90/94 and Hwy 12 intersect and it is a three-story lodging with very basic rooms offering 1 king or 2 double beds, a TV with cable, an indoor pool and hot tub, free morning coffee in the lobby and that’s about it.

There’s no on-site restaurant or fitness center, no indoor waterpark like the Great Wolf Lodge and Kahlahari just up the road, and no free toiletries, other than a bar of no-name soap. The walls are also thin enough to hear a loud conversation next door and even with a non-smoking room, there is still lingering smoke smells as soon as you step into the hallway.

But for $50 or less, on average (AAA discounts available), you do get free WiFi, free parking, indoor hallways for security and a clean, comfortable place to sleep. Restaurants are less than a mile away, next to the Tanger Outlet Mall, and it’s about a five minute drive from both the main tourist strip of Dells attractions and Ho Chunk Casino. This is also a pet-friendly lodging and does have rooms to accommodate those with disabilities.

This is definitely a place to pick if you’re more concerned with price over amenities, but sometimes, all you need is a cheap place to crash.

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Motel 6 Lake Delton
I-90/I-94 at US 12, Exit #92
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
608-355-0700

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[Photo by Michelle Snow]

Related Posts:

• Comfort Inn in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
• Mayflower Motel in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
• Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

I was beginning to think I was going to need a GPS unit to find The Orleans lobby.

Mardi Gras Lobby at The Orleans Las Vegas

Theoretically, I should have been able to just follow along the wall from the self-park garage and with a few left turns, I would have been at the lobby. What I hadn’t taken into account is the sheer size of the hotel or the labyrinth layout of the casino floor.

After about 15 minutes, though, I did find the front desk, checked-in without difficulty (after another 15 minutes waiting in line) and headed up to my room with my friend.

Even though The Orleans is an older hotel, located just west of the Strip, it has been upkept relatively well. My room looked more mid-70s Americana motel than the Mardi Gras theme of the public areas of the resort, but the two of us had plenty of room in our two queen-bed room with sitting area. The room itself was clean, if sparsely decorated. The bathroom was separated from the bedroom/sitting area by a sliding door and featured a tub/shower combo, though the air ventilation system seemed to have seen better days. Opening the tiny window above the tub did help.

Two Queen-Bed Room at The Orleans Las Vegas

Our third floor view was of the parking garage, as if to mock us getting lost, but I’m sure higher floors would have a view of the mountains since we were facing west. Ask for a room on one of the upper floors facing the Strip, if a view truly matters to you. I’m told some of the rooms do feature an updated decor, so you may with to request that, as well.

The Orleans has outsourced many of its dining options to chains like TGIFridays (must give props to the all-day happy hour with its $1.50 cheeseburger sliders for cheap eats) and Fuddruckers, but its Mexican restaurant Don Miguels had 2-for-1 specials on margaritas and fajitas the day we stayed and both were pretty tasty.

Amenities offered at the hotel include an outdoor pool, a spa, an 18-screen movie theater and a 70-lane bowling alley. It also offers complimentary scheduled shuttle service to The Strip. For those looking for on-site entertainment, The Orleans Arena and Showroom venues offer everything from sporting events to national music and comedy headliners,

Considering I nabbed the room for only $27 (plus tax) a night midweek via an online promotion on The Orleans website, I probably shouldn’t nitpick. But I would be remiss if I didn’t call them out on the fact that not only is their high-speed internet not Wi-Fi (I hate being tethered to a desk) but they charge $12.99/day for it. I was also upset that they tacked on a $5/day “resort fee” at check-in to cover the “free” unlimited local calling and such, as well as put a $100 hold on my credit card, which was refunded at check-out. Neither was disclosed when I booked the room.

I would stay here again, if I could nab another low rate. But with Vegas room rates what they are nowadays, you might want to look at nearby Strip properties like Excalibur for special deals, first.

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The Orleans Hotel & Casino
4500 W. Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, Nevada 89103
800-ORLEANS (800-675-3267) or 702-365-7111

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Posted by Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

San Jose HP Pavillion Super 8 Motel

So you’ve spent all your money on concert tickets, but you still need a place to crash when the music stops. Where to stay in San Jose, less than a mile from the HP Pavillion? My husband and teenage son recently stayed at the Super 8 Motel by the San Jose Airport and Convention Center. Yes, it was a father/son bonding trip to rock out with the Boss, otherwise known as Bruce Springsteen.

Two Queen Beds

They didn’t take advantage of the heated outdoor pool, or the free high speed internet, but they said their room, with two queen beds, was clean and cheap. Using their AAA discount, the room rented for $75.05 on a Wednesday night. They didn’t have any praise for the complimentary continental breakfast offered the next morning.

“There was a weak assortment of small, stale cinnamon rolls,” noted Cory Brown.

They did end the stay on a high note. The boys decided to keep the fun factor going and headed to Malibu Grand Prix in Redwood City for slot car racing. And the fun continues…..

Super 8 San Jose Airport/Convention Center Area 1 (408) 293-9361

1860 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126

Guest Post from our friends at Hostel Bookers

Be sure to check out Hostel Bookers new Twitter competition where you can win a free week at St. Christopher’s hostel in Amsterdam.

With scenic parks, historical sights and excellent shopping, London makes one of the best city breaks in the world. From the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace to riding around on an iconic red bus, the city is full of memorable moments, but has a reputation for being a pricey place to visit.

Luckily there are hundreds of London Hostels all over the city providing you with great value accommodation, close to most of the main sights. Forget crowded dorms and broken bathrooms, the capital’s hostels offer the ‘best of British’ hospitality, with wi-fi facilities, funky design and in-house bars for enjoying a pint of beer.

Palmers Lodge

Palmers Lodge Hostel

Fancy really soaking up some London history? Then stay at Palmers Lodge, an elegant Victorian mansion in a leafy, affluent area of North London. Built in 1881, the Lodge’s rooms are thoroughly modern, ranging from private rooms to a bumper 28-bed dorm. With a lounge, games room, and laundry, this hostel adds a touch of the English country manor to life in the big city. With free breakfasts and a bar serving pizzas and Paninis, you won’t get peckish during your stay here.

Astor Hyde Park

Astor Hyde Park

London has an awful lot of green spaces for a big city, and you can experience country living close to the expanse of Hyde Park. The Astor is part of a popular chain of hostels in London, and the Hyde Park outpost is housed in a historic period building, updated with ultra-modern interiors and abstract art on the walls. Each room has its own ensuite bathroom, and the hostel boasts a stainless steel kitchen, two lounges and a digital TV amongst other facilities. Situated in hip South Kensington, you are close to the upscale shopping of Harrods and High Street Kensington, and the National History, Victoria and Albert and Science Museums for a dose of culture.

St. Christophers Inn

St Christopher’s Inn Village

Across the street from foodie heaven Borough Market, St Christopher’s Inn Village is only a short walk from the cultural delights along the Southbank, with scenic views over the River Thames. Once you’ve explored the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and the Tower of London, return to the ‘chill-out room’ and watch a movie. With its own Belushi bar serving cheap drinks all night, and basement nightclub, St Christopher’s has a full-on party atmosphere. The rooms range from 2-14 bed dorms, but the best thing about St Christopher’s are the personal touches – from the sauna and roof terrace, to walking tours and free breakfasts.

UMI Hostel

UMI London

Live like Hugh Grant in the film ‘Notting Hill’ at the UMI London, located in the trendy Notting Hill and Bayswater area of West London. This hostel is chic and cheap, housed in an elegant townhouse in a quiet leafy square. Each room is private with an en-suite bathroom and plasma TVs, and the in-house coffee bar and lounge with complimentary newspapers feels like a first-class hotel. You’re close to the quirky cool stalls of Portobello Market if your budget won’t quite stretch to the department stores in Knightsbridge.

YHA Hostel

YHA London Central

Few hostels can claim to be in the heart of London’s sprawling metropolis, but the YHA London truly is ‘central’; a stone’s throw away from the shopping on Oxford Street, the nightclubs of the West End and cool cafés in Soho. With a free locker room and wi-fi, travel desk that books tours and offers travel tips, and hip bar with tube maps on the wall, this is the perfect base for young backpackers.

Journey

Journey’s London Eye

Journey’s may look like a traditional pub from the outside, and the hostel comes complete with a fully-licensed bar serving cheap drinks. But inside you’ll find a more homely affair, with comfortable rooms, an internet café, pool table and roof terrace upstairs. Welcoming parties ‘of all sizes’, the friendly staff give every guest a welcome pack on arrival. On the banks of the Thames, you’re a short walk to Westminster and the houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and yes, the London Eye, boasting panoramic views over the city.