How to Find a Great Hotel for Your Vacation (on a Budget)

When booking a trip, the most daunting cost, besides travel (if you’re flying) is always a place to stay, or lodging. Depending on how long you are going to be away, and how much time you may be spending in your room, this may not be a corner you want to cut. You want every aspect of your trip to be enjoyable, and dreading going back to your room at the end of the night does not make for a good vacation! Here are some helpful tips on how to stay in a great place without breaking the bank!

Do Your Homework: the first step in booking any trip and finding a place to stay is to do a little research. What is close to where you want to be spending your time? For example, if you are visiting New York City do you want to be in Times Square near the heart of everything, or over the bridge closer to Jersey? You also need to think about what may make the most sense. If you stay farther from your destination (say, in Jersey) chances are, you will make up for what you save in cab or train fares. Plus, think about the time you will spend traveling, instead of actually enjoying the location. Besides location, think about what you want in a hotel. Do you want something with great dining and nightlife, or something more family oriented? Are you bringing a pet? These are all things that need to be taken into considering when trying deciding where to say. After you know everything you may want in a hotel, start researching and make a list of five to six places that may work for you.

Believe Reviews: When you have your list of potential hotels, now it’s time to do some research about each one. Each hotel’s website will have pictures of the rooms, and layout of the hotel, and may also offer various packages that can help you save money depending on how long you are staying, but it is also a wise decision to go elsewhere and read reviews of people who have stayed there. Websites like tripadvisor.com and orbitz.com offer a vast amount of honest reviews from people just like you and I who have stayed at the hotels. Here is where you will find out little helpful details like where you may run into extra charges or if the establishment really is child or pet friendly. This is where you should spend the most time in the research process to really know what you are looking at when you do end up booking a room somewhere.
The important part of this is to actually believe what you read. Granted, some people are very detail oriented and will nitpick small details of every place, but all of the reviews do not exceed two stars, I would cross that place off your list. I made that mistake when I vacationed in Miami last summer, and ended up having a terrible time because I did not believe the numerous people who said, “Do not stay here!” It will pay to listen to people who have been there, done that!

Trust Your Gut: Beyond believing what other people have to say, it is equally important to trust your own feelings about each place. If the prices of your top two or three locations are comparable, think about your feelings of each place. Are you a big sushi fan and one has a sushi restaurant in the lobby? Is a great fitness center important to you, or would you rather have an amazing spa as your form of relaxation? Added things that may make you happy will add to your vacation experience and make you feel like your getting even more bang for your buck. When it comes down to it, go with the place that calls to you the most. Whether it’s the name, the place, or that random dog salon in the lobby, trust me when I say you will know your hotel when you see it!

Book it: The most crucial step in the process of finding a hotel, and often the most stressful is booking your room. There are several ways to do this, and they are all equally effective. Most hotels will let you book directly on their website, which is my preferred method, but only after I do a little comparison shopping. You can do this by typing in the name of the hotel at places like expedia.com, kayak.com, or hotels.com to see if there is any difference in the rate for your desired dates. It is also important to consider what kind of room you want. If you are only going to be sleeping there, does it really matter what kind of view you have? Skipping any exclusive views, suites, or special romance packages is a great way to save some money, and you will still have everything you need in the room. Upon booking you should receive a confirmation email that will have all your information about the room you selected, as well as the hotel’s cancellation policy (if you do have a change of heart or something comes up, most hotels have very forgiving cancellation policies, some up until the day before with no charge) Save this for your records in case anything goes wrong during check in, or to know where exactly the hotel is, or the contact information.

Join Rewards Programs: Most chain hotels like Marriotts and Hiltons have rewards programs where you can acquire points for each night you stay, and eventually the points are redeemable for free nights at those hotels. This is a great way to take money off of a trip if you are able to get even one night for free! Depending on the location, each hotel requires a different amount of points, so you will be surprised how quickly they add up! After attending a conference at a Marriott for a week, I was eligible for a free night on Fifth Ave in New York! Wherever you choose to stay, ask if they have a rewards program and be sure to sign up for it upon check in so your nights will go towards a free stay!

It may sound like a process, but with the right amount of research, you will find a great place that suits you and your budget perfectly. You may even be surprised how fun the process is in itself! Enjoy it, it is the beginning of your vacation! Happy hotel hunting, and have fun!

Tradewinds Resort- We will be back!

Tradewinds Resort, St. Petersburg Florida

http://www.tradewindsresort.com/

In June of 2009, I was lucky enough to stay at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida. The majority of our stay was for a health care conference, with only one day for sole vacation purposes, but the entire experience was positive and I am already planning to go back next year.

Upon check in at the Island Grand hotel, everyone was extremely helpful! We had reserved two rooms, and they went above and beyond to make sure they were near each other, and met our needs. The check in staff was friendly, patient and very accommodating and made sure to use the counter that was at an accessible level for me.

Our rooms were in a different building from the main sessions of the conference, but we quickly learned our way around and it hardly made a difference. Although we didn’t splurge for the exclusive “beach view rooms, I found the rooms to be wonderful for under $200 a night. They all had a kitchenette with a good-sized dining table that could seat up to four people. The décor looked straight out of a beach house and was a great reminder of where we were even when it poured rain for the first few days and we could not get the beach. The beds were not the most comfortable I had slept in, but every night we were so tired from a day of activity it really didn’t matter and we got a great night’s sleep regardless.

The conference facilities were wonderful and met our needs perfectly whether it was for networking receptions, or workshop sessions. The Starbucks by day, bar by night in the center of the lobby proved to be a wonderful first stop of the day for an iced latte before going to sessions, and our orders were always correct and delicious!

We made a point to eat at all of the restaurants too, and at each one the service and food was fantastic. The first night we were there we did have a bit of a wait for food at Bermuda’s, but we had a large party right before closing so I understand the difficulty, and our fabulous waiter made up for it, and took his time chatting with us and making sure we were all content. The food and drinks at Flying Bridge were also wonderful, and considering they were slammed in the middle of the day since they are right off the pool, we did not wait long at all!

On the subject of drinks- I took the opportunity to do the resort wide “Bar Crawl” during which you must get a passport from any of the resort bars, and during your stay get a drink at each of the five bars (the secret one is at the Sandpiper which is the sister hotel to the Island Grand, right down the street) and have each bartender stamp their designated page on your passport. When it is complete, you must take it to the gift shop and you will receive a free t-shirt with the logos of all the bars on the back! It was a fun achievement and I was able to pace myself a little, unlike my friend who discovered the event and was leaving the next morning.

My sister and I were also able to attend Bodyworks, the salon and spa, for a manicure and pedicure when we needed a break from the beach. Everyone was incredible, right down to the receptionist who helped me schedule the appointment at a time that worked for us. The women who did our nails were so sweet, and talked with us, and told us what not to miss at the resort. It was an experience that was a splurge, but I was so glad we took the time to do.

The great thing about Tradewinds, beyond the gorgeous beach with warm gulf water, and the five pools (one of which is adults only!) Is that there isn’t just fun for adults! There are plenty of activities for the kids as well. Just during the time I was there, they had a break dancing show followed by a black light dance for the teens, and an opportunity to stuff and create their own stuffed animals for younger children. We left right before the fourth of July but they were also gearing up for what was bound to be an incredible fourth of July festival complete with fireworks which I heard were amazing!

The last morning of our stay, as we reluctantly rode to the airport, the driver chatted with us enthusiastically. He compared the resort to a cruise ship that never leaves the port, and told us about the manager who does a lot of charity work, donating weekends at the resort to families of children with life threatening illnesses and holding huge fundraisers for the children’s heart foundation. It definitely was not a surprise to us, since we had gotten a warm, caring from vibe from every single person we encountered at the resort. I was sad to bid farewell to the pools and beach, but after a discussion of making Tradewinds a destination for our annual family vacation…. I have a feeling I will return! I can only encourage others to do so as well. You won’t regret it!

Overall: **** (4 out of 5)

I Loved: the pools, the beach, the spa, the food!

Not so much: leaving, the weather

Kelly's Landing- a taste of New England!

Kelly's Landing, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

http://kellyslandingseafood.com/

My first night in Fort Lauderdale, eating outside of the hotel, I asked our young valets where we could get some good local seafood, with a good vibe, and they sent us here. Imagine our surprise when, being from Maine, we see a sign that says “home of the Boston Red Sox!”
We enjoyed lobster, scallops and beer, all for a great price, and the staff was very kind and called us a cab with no question when we were ready to go back to the hotel! Wonderful food and experience, but for something different that didn’t feel like home, we would go somewhere else!

Sushi Samba- Awesome 24th Birthday!

Sushi Samba, Lincoln Rd. Miami, Florida

http://www.sushisamba.com/

I ate here on my birthday, when I decided to rent a car and drive from Fort Lauderdale (which proved to be less than festive)We were recommended to eat here by a makeup artist at the MAC pro store on South Beach and decided to give it a try.

Our waiter was outstanding, and as soon as I informed him it was my birthday, he said "I'm bringing you a shot on the house!" The shot proved to be the size of a five oz glass of wine so I sipped it through dinner, but it was lovely. I went on to tell him about the mediocre tourist trap lunch we had on south beach where I got trapped into paying for a $31 drink, so he made it his agenda to make sure we had an amazing dinner to counteract our crappy time at lunch.
and oh man we did. Our waiter kept our waters topped off and cold, the food was delicious and came in very reasonable time, but the best part was when he brought out our dessert platter with a sparkler in it and explained, "well it's your birthday!" We also observed on the bill, my dessert (which was over $10) had been discounted!
We were also allowed to sit and relax as long as we wanted and did not feel pressured to leave so they could get new patrons.
Although we ate outside (which was so cool to just relax and people watch) we did go inside to use the bathroom and although the music was loud, it had a very cool, trendy vibe and it was obvious this place is a hot spot!
It was a wonderful, fun, delicious experience, and probably my best birthday to date. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a NON-TOURIST TRAP Miami dinner experience!!

Overall: **** (4 out of 5)

Loved: the atmosphere, the service, beverages

Not so much: I've had better sushi, and menu seemed limited

Embassy Suites, Fort Lauderdale- far from luxury

Embassy Suites, Fort Lauderdale

Overall I enjoyed my stay at this hotel, but I definitely would not consider it luxury.
Upon check in, everyone was very friendly, but we were not assisted with our bags or getting to our room, we did everything

ourselves. Granted, I am sure we could’ve asked someone but there did not look to be many bellmen around and we just wanted to get to our room.
Having never stayed at an Embassy Suites before, I was pleasantly surprised to find out we did have an actual suite with a living room, kitchenette and very accessible bathroom! The layout of the hotel was very fun too; similar to a Marriott I stayed at in NYC, but with a tropical vibe.
The free cocktail hour was wonderful as was the wait staff at the E spot restaurant in the hotel,

where we ate several times without tiring of the food! When you look with a closer eye this hotel does need some updating (cracked tiles, peeling paint, etc), and the $10 a day wifi is spotty, but the service was wonderful and I had a lovely time. I would probably stay here again if I were in the area on a tight budget!

Overall: *** (3 out of 5)

Loved: beachy vibe, nice people, free cocktail hour!!!!

Not so much: needs maintenance, not much in the area

The Last Unicorn

The Last Unicorn
Waterville, Maine


COMING SOON....

Marriott Wardman Park Hotel

Marriott Wardman Park,
Washington DC

I recently stayed at the Marriott Wardman for a conference (as it is mostly a convention hotel) and must ay I was not disappointed. However, for such an extravagent establishment, I found it odd that it was missing some of the simple basics.

I believe my room may have been upgraded, or was just an accessible room. Originally I was supposed to only stay for 2 days then move in with a colleague for a meeting that occurred after the original conference, due to availability, but after talking to the kind people at check in, they assured me everything had been taken care of and I was escorted to a large room in the Park Tower.

I must give this hotel kudos, for it's ACTUAL accessibility. I have been in "accessible rooms" before that simply had a bar in the bathroom, but the size was hardly substantial enough for a wheelchair! This room had a large tiled foyer with a kitchenette, that was perfect to park my motorized scooter I use when I travel! the bathroom was also very accessible. It was very large, and had a hand held shower head that could be lowered.

However- although the bathroom was huge, the one thing it lacked was HOOKS. there was absolutely NOWHERE to even hang a towel. I happen to have hanging toiletry bags, and I couldn't put them anywhere. I ended up setting them on a counter, and things kept falling out and on to the floor. Very annoying.

Also, the fact that internet was $13 a day and was NOT wireless was very frustrating. Clearly when you travel on business you are going to need to access your email and the internet, and it was irritating to say the least to be tied to the desk to access the internet. Very circa 1999.
Either have it wired, and have it FREE, or have wifi and charge a little less...but still there is no need to pay such a rate daily to sit at a desk.
Room service was also out of this world expensive. We ended up paying $80 for breakfast for 2, and all we got was eggs benedict and coffee. A carafe of coffee for 2 was $17, and of course the delivery fee is ridiculous. The quality of the food was decent, but nowhere near $80 worth of amazing! The 2nd day we ordered breakfast, we noted there were 2 diners, and we did not receive a table. One of us had to dine at the desk, while the other just sat in a chair with their tray on the ottoman....not an ideal situation, especially for the cost.

Although the on site coffee was Starbucks brand, there was not a Starbucks location in the hotel, which I found to be disappointing, especially for the size of the establishment.

The size was definitely exquisite, and although it took me about our entire stay to start learning where things were (the entire hotel is like a maze, with 2 different towers) the hotel staff is very accommodating and helpful. there are staff members at every high traffic area to answer questions of where to go, so I didn't waste too much time getting lost after the first day.

The conference facilities were nice, but after the third luncheon I began to get sick of the typical salad, chicken and rolls. Luckily, both restaurants were wonderful with great food and service! For a nice change on the last couple of days. For our last dinner, the concierge also referred us to a delicious japanese restaurant that was within walking distance. The hotel was very close to lots of great places to eat and shop!

Overall not a bad place, in a great location, but I am not sure that I would stay here if I had my choice of hotels in the DC area...it misses the mark on simple things, and the $13 a day internet is definitely not conducive to teleworking.



Overall: *** (3 out of 5)

Loved: location, spacious room, good service, ACCESSIBILITY
Not so much: Very expensive WIRED internet, hard to navigate, no towel hooks!