Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hotels

Never use Priceline after 5am

disillusioned — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:30:58 -0800

IdiotFilter: I booked a Priceline hotel with the wrong region selected. Should I eat it and book somewhere else? Or will it work for New Year's Eve? I made the catastrophic mistake of Pricelineing after 5am last night and during my rebid process (where you add regions that don't have the star level you're looking for, so you can instantly rebid), I jacked it down from 4 star to 3.5 star without unchecking all the regions.

This placed me at the Hilton Del Mar (map).

I'm there from Dec 31 - Jan 3, for $161 total.

I wanted to be in Downtown/Harbor Island, so that I could have a choice of festivities, and to be closer to downtown SD during the other days, but again, I was an idiot.

Both Priceline and Hilton absolutely refuse to budge and that's to be expected—I read the terms and made the mistake.

So my question is: Should I eat the $161 and try to find a similar deal closer? Or should I just stay there and drive in?

We have a vehicle, but I don't know what sort of parking situation we'll see coming in to downtown.

We might like to do the Zoo, Sea World, Harbor Island, the beach (which is close to this hotel), and the Gaslamp Quarter, so clearly being closer would be nice.

What's your expert opinion, San Diegans? It appears to be a solid 20 miles from downtown—will this be absolutely devastating, traffic-wise on the holiday weekend? Or can I reasonably make it down in 20 minutes?

God, I feel stupid. I'm usually fastidious and extremely careful with things like travel bookings, but I just missed it here and now I'm stuck.

Your advice is welcome—I'm willing to eat the $161, since I'm splitting the hotel with the girlfriend (she'll split wherever we stay, I'll eat the $161 myself) so that hurts a bit less, but if it's manageable, we'll just stay there. It looks like a pretty nice hotel on its own.

Good hotels in Baton Rouge?

exolstice — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:42:30 -0800

Going near Baton Rouge, LA for work. I need suggestions of good hotels to stay in the $80-$100 a night range. I also need suggestions of things to do in the evenings. Thanks! I'll be working about 30-45 minute drive South of the city, if that helps with the suggestions for areas. I'd prefer something not too close to a highway. I'd prefer to be able to walk to as many places as possible, but this is not required. Definitely non-smoking. Oh and if you can tell me anything about the breakfast, that would be a plus.

As for suggestions of things to do, looking for restaurants (with vegetarian options if possible) and any attractions that can be experienced in the evenings. Thanks!

Where should we stay in the Bay Area that's affordable and convenient to the freeways?

creepygirl — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:07:55 -0800

Where should we stay in the Bay Area that's affordable and convenient to the freeways? Mr. Creepygirl and I will be attending a wedding in Mill Creek CA. We are also going to be visiting friends/family in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and Cloverdale. We will have a car. We're looking for something that's relatively central (we know Sunnyvale is way far south of the other locations, so closeness to Sunnyvale isn't the first priority), close to freeways, and relatively inexpensive (under $200 a night would be great.)

We don't need to stay in San Francisco, and we don't need a fancy wine country spa experience kind of hotel either. Any guidance on hotels (or even which city to look for hotels) would be greatly appreciated.

Help four west-coasters find reasonably priced hotel in NYC?

ragtimepiano — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:08:50 -0800

Four western ladies are gathering in NYC in October. We're from Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada; the "other coast" is foreign territory for us! We'd like current wisdom on finding a reasonably priced hotel, with rooms that sleep four, in Manhattan, or Times Square, or the Upper East/West Side. We'll be happy with only the basic amenities. Also, what places/activities should take top priority in a brief visit? Our group is comprised of three 30-somethings...and their mother :-). Thanks in advance!

Mall of America--best hotel to stay and where should I take my 5 year old?

lynnie-the-pooh — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:26:42 -0800

What is a good hotel that is right next to or connected to Mall of America? And what are the "must go to's" for a five year old? We are looking for a hotel that is clean and nice that is right next to or connected to the Mall of America. It would be nice if there was a restaurant attached to the hotel, although that is not necessary. Also, we would like a clean pool, preferably one that is kid-friendly, where there are steps that lead off down the pool and then there is a gradual recession in the water.

Also, is there anything that I just HAVE to go to in the mall, where my five year old will LOVE it?

Thanks!

Lynnie-the-Pooh

Why are hotels so expensive?

fourmajor — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:16:30 -0800

Why are hotels so expensive? San Francisco for instance - my studio costs $925/month which works out to about $31/day. Why would a hotel up the road cost four to six times as much? I understand they have to be cleaned daily and the front desk needs to be staffed, and they are furnished, but really, hotel rooms are generally much smaller and much less livable than apartments. Why such a huge price difference?

Where to take a 30th birthday long weekend near NYC?

toomuchkatherine — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:47:39 -0800

I'm turning 30 in two weeks. Help me find a great ~4-day trip not too far from New York to celebrate it. My 30th birthday is June 26. I'm hoping to get out of town (NYC) for it; I don't have *too* much angst about turning 30, but I hope not to be sung "Happy Birthday" to in a local dive. And I've been meaning to explore the great Northeast more anyway.

I prefer the mountains to the beach, and am looking for someplace fun to go within a reasonable (6 hour?) train or car ride from New York City. I'd like to stay in a fun funky town, small city, or rural area. Hudson Valley? Vermont? Adirondacks? Lake Placid? Maine (too far?)? I don't have a tent of my own, so no utter backpacking, but I do like to hike etc.

I've been all over Western Massachusetts, because I have family there; it's nice, but I want to try something new. I will probably be on my own for one or two nights, and joined by the bf for the next part.

Would love any suggestions for towns or specific accommodations. I'm not super flush but am willing to spend a bit to make this a nice getaway.

Extended Stay In Tucson, AZ

chrisalbon — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:10:49 -0800

Good Extended Stay Hotels / Suites in Tucson, AZ this summer? My wife and I are spending 23 days in Tucson, AZ. She will be taking a class at U of A and I will be working on my dissertation from "home".

Since I am going to be working out of wherever we stay, I wanted a furnished and quiet extended stay hotel room or suite. Sublets are a little cheaper, but kinda a crap-shoot in my opinion (plus, it is hard to find a sublet for less than a month).

Does anyone have recommendations for good and cheapish ($30-$40 per night) extended stay hotels or suites in Tucson, AZ for July?

Thanks in advance!

Good Hotels in Ashland, Oregon?

Janey Complainy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:01:54 -0800

What are some good, clean, modestly priced hotels in Ashland, Oregon? My sister and I plan to spend two nights in June in Ashland for the Shakespeare Festival. We'll have a car, so distance from the Festival isn't much of an issue (though we'd love to be within walking distance so we don't have to deal with Festival parking). We're fans of clean, quiet, modern hotels with modern amenities (e.g., air conditioning, an in-room fridge, good water pressure in the shower, etc.). Any advice about where to stay? We'd like to keep the price tag reasonable (under $150 per night, if possible).

Thanks!

where is the best snorkeling in Baja?

roxie110 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:28:34 -0800

Best snorkeling in a non-touristy area in Baja? i and my sister are thinking about going to Baja for a week at the end of may and would love some suggestions about where to go and/or stay.

neither of us has ever been there. we're both fairly laid-back people and prefer relatively quiet, un-touristy, un-resorty, un-ridiculously-expensive places (i.e., not Cabo). we're not windsurfers or spear fishers or sailors or scuba divers (yet), but we LOVE SNORKELING, hiking, and hanging out on the beach. i guess our first priority would be snorkeling, and if anyone could recommend some amazing snorkeling spots for this time of year, we'd be eternally grateful.

Paris hotels with easy access to CDG and BVA airports

omair — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:50:57 -0800

Where should we stay in Paris if we are landing at CDG and departing two days later from BVA (RyanAir). In those two days, we would like to see as much of Paris as possible but not end up spending an exorbitant amount traveling from the city back to our hotel, or from the hotel to the airports. Should we pick something in the main city, something close to CDG, or something closer to BVA? Are there any hotels that offer shuttle service to both airports at reasonable prices? I am hoping that public transportation in the city itself will be enough to see Paris, and thus, my main concern is just getting back to the hotel each night, yet having a hotel reasonably close enough to either airports to make it possible to have a hassle free trip when arriving/leaving.

Thank you for all the help.

Cabins near Mt. Rainier and hotels in Seattle

DakotaPaul — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:36:22 -0800

Looking for suggestions for cabin rentals near Mt. Rainier and hotels or bed and breakfasts in Seattle for mid-August. My wife and I want to spend two nights in a cabin near Mt. Rainier and three nights in a hotel or B&B in Seattle in mid-August. We'll be bringing our son, who will be 21 months old. We would go as high as $200 per night, but would prefer to keep it closer to $150. Additional preferences:

Cabin
• Allow children under 10 (first two I looked at that I liked don't allow them)
• Refrigerator, microwave, and grill or firepit
• Quiet, secluded
• Close to one of the Mt. Rainier entrances
• Bonus: walking or hiking trails, ponds or streams nearby
• Bonus: hot tub (is this why < 10-year-olds are not allowed?)

Hotel
• Within walking distance of Pike's Place
• Within walking distance of at least a couple breakfast, lunch and dinner places, or has a decent restaurant on-site
• Not kid-averse
• Bonus: No charge for parking

Making the best of business travel

bifter — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:50:43 -0800

How can I make the best out of my free time during frequent, short business trips to San Francisco? I'm in the UK, and my employer would like me to spend a regular, significant amount of time in working at the San Francisco office (somewhere between 2 and 3 times / quarter, for the best part of a week at a time).

I'll mostly be traveling out to arrive on Saturday (cheap flights), arriving early evening SF time. This leaves the unappetising prospect of a whole Sunday and 5 working evenings per month parked in a soulless city center hotel with a thoroughly messed up body clock. I'm very tall, have a young family and like my sleep, so I'm likely to find the situation a bit of a chore, rather than a huge treat.

I'm interested to know if anyone has any experience of this type of work situation, and any input as to how it could be turned into something less of a drag. Specific things I'm thinking:
- How to make the accommodation less depressing. I'm not a seasoned business traveller, but it strikes me that this shouldn't be too unusual a situation, and there might be some sort of arrangement that works better than succession of big city hotels for frequent, regular travelers
- I'm open to the idea of commuting (within reason) to downtown SF for work. Any thoughts on nice places to stay that are still within easy reach?
- I'm going to have worn out the obvious 'things to do on your own' in SF pretty fast, and prefer not to spend all my evenings aggressively networking, or being a constant gooseberry on collegues' social lives. Any good ideas for off-the-beaten track stuff to do in or around SF (without a car) very welcome here too
- I can always trawl previous SF threads for hints on places to eat; drink coffee; hang out alone etc, but - hey - if you've got any good input, chuck it here too - thanks!

Hotel in Algiers

nazca — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:07:23 -0800

Hotel in Algiers: Sheraton or St. George? Or something else? Work is paying so I’m not price sensitive. Ideally I’d like a swanky hotel in the middle of town. But I’m also a loyalty points hound – so if it isn’t a major chain hotel it should be really cool with a great location for exploring the city.

Someone recommended the St. George, but I haven’t been able to find much info about it.

Any recommendations?

$30/night for parking, I don't think so

ninefour — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:25:29 -0800

Staying at Red Lion Hotel downtown Seattle but don't want to pay outrageous hotel parking fee ($30 a night!). Does anyone know somewhere else within a reasonable distance where I can park for cheap? I've got strong legs and some patience.

Why Wallpaper?

Sublimity — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:15:34 -0800

Why do hotels use so much wallpaper? Hotels sure do seem to have a lot of wallpapered walls. Why? I recognize that it's part of the decor and so an aesthetic choice--I'm thinking more about the durability and function.

All I know about wallpaper is that it's fussy to install and hell to remove. I imagine that picture hooks and minor electrical work leave ugly scars. Despite these drawbacks, every hotel I've ever been in (generally the middlebrow, business-parky types) has acres of the stuff.

Presumably that means there are functional attributes that make wallpaper preferable to, say, painted or textured walls that would fit in equally well in the decorating schemes. Easier to clean? Less inclined to wear?

Cheap hotel in DC in May

nooneyouknow — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 10:22:37 -0800

Any recommendations for inexpensive hotels near Georgetown Law School? Will be there for commencement weekend, May 15-17. Using sites like hotels.com and orbitz it seems like all the cheap hotels are already filled (only found rooms for ~300/night) and I don't know anything about DC.

London Calling

veryhappyheidi — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:34:12 -0800

London vacation help: specifically a place to stay! I've checked previous threads, but to little avail. I'm going to be in London from March 14-21 and need recommendations on hotels. I know absolutely nothing about the area, but we're going to be doing touristy things (we're into museums, history, Shakespeare, etc.)

Here's the catch: I'm going to be traveling with my mom who's in her late fifties and is requiring a private bath. Yes, she cares. After reading reviews rife with bed bug horror stories, I'm turning to you guys to help me. Cheaper is always better, and this place is the current winner. We'd prefer a B&B over a big hotel, but honestly cost is going to be the deciding factor. I'd love to not spend more than US$120/ night.

Thanks all! If you have any other recommendations, I'd love to hear them! We're quite willing to do side trips outside the city, but we'll have no car. (And hey, if a side trip turns into an overnight and saves on expensive London hotels, even better!)

Washington DC hotels?

Karlos the Jackal — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:53:01 -0800

My wife and I are going to Washington DC next year for a few days. We'll be sticking to touristy stuff -- monuments, the Smithsonian -- so we want to be able to get to those parts and back fairly easily. We won't have a car. Where should we stay? Recommendations for areas or for specific hotels appreciated. What we're looking for in a hotel: quiet, clean, simple, air conditioning, in a safe neighborhood, maybe $250 a night.

We've been looking at some hotels online but we're not sure how easy it is to get around without a car, so we're not sure how far away we can stray. We are fine with public transportation if it's not too confusing.

Has anyone ever heard of southtravel.com ?

thewalrus — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:23:54 -0800

Has anyone had a good or bad experience with a UAE based travel agency known as SouthTravels.com? They appear to be an agency similar to asiatravel.com, a Singaporean company with which I've had good experiences. I've been looking at their selection of hotels and guest houses in Pakistan, specifically Islamabad. Here's their Pakistan page and the page for Islamabad.

In the past when I have booked budget hotels in the UAE through asiatravel, the reception desk at the hotel has had a printout ready with my name and passport number when I check in. At one place it was in a folder with printouts from 3-4 other booking agencies. It looks like this is emailed or faxed to the hotel once per day. Is this sort of arrangement also common in Pakistan? Southtravel appears to be a legit organization, I'm not too paranoid about giving my VISA card number to them, but I'm looking for any good or bad experiences out there on the net before making a booking...

Cheap Seoul lodgings for a week

nerdpita — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:33:42 -0800

Seoul readers! Super cheap places to stay in Seoul? Hostels? Love motels? Your place for a few bucks? Hi, I need to go to Seoul for a week or so in Dec. to visit my dad who is having surgery. Plane fare is expensive enough so I'm hoping to find a really cheap place to stay. I don't really care how nice it is as long as it's in Seoul. Thanks in advance for your help. Oh, and for people wondering, I can't stay with my parents because they live about four hours away from Seoul. I really want to be able to stay in close reach of the hospital while I'm there. Or, at the most, an hour away by train if it's cheaper.

hotel suggestions for sxsw (music)

dannon205 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:11:25 -0800

Austin hotels for SXSW (music festival)? Hi everyone. Finally after two years, I have saved up my pennies and decided to go to SXSW for its music festival. I need to book a room, which will be shared by several ppl in order to defray the cost. I have never been to Austin before and am not very familiar with the locations. I know that the action is downtown, but if I can't afford a hotel downtown, what are some affordable options closeby (i.e., taking a cab)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

What NYC hotel should I pick for a Christmastime visit?

objdoc — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:28:53 -0800

What interesting but not too hipster NYC hotel should I choose for a four-night near Christmastime stay in December? I'm heading to New York City in December for a work related conference near Times Square. We are also thinking about attending the Metropolitan Opera, and going to see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center while in town. My partner plans to check out the Met and the Guggenheim while I am working, along with window shopping the Christmas displays around 5th Ave.

Last time we stayed at Le Parker Meridian which we liked well enough.

We'd like to find someplace interesting to stay, reasonably accessible to where we plan to spend most of our time. Caveat: we are late 30's but not terribly hip, even though we like architecture and design.

Price range: $350 or less, more only for something great

Xmas in NYC. Stay? Eat? Fun?

you're only jung once — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:54:31 -0800

Xmas in NYC - where to stay? where to eat? what to do? Hi all. My girlfriend and I are going to be in NYC from xmas eve to 27th december. We will have just been exposed to my extended family - and will therefore be seeking solace in the city. We're on an okay budget for hotels (up to about 250 dollars a night between us) but could go lower (definitely go lower - shouts the girlfriend from the next door room) if we can find the right sodding place. We'd like to have a romantic lunch on xmas day (I'm a chowhound so was thinking ?Jean-Georges) but again budgetary restrictions (though not culinary restrictions) apply. Also - ideas for cool/fun stuff to do would be really appreciated.

Thanks - you've all been legends all ready.

Best plan of attack when you have only 3 days in Europe

seekingsimplicity — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:06:23 -0800

Each year in the fall, my DH and I go to Ireland for his business meetings. These meetings last 3-4 days and then he takes 3 days of vacation and we go somewhere else in Europe. We have gone to Paris, the west coast of Ireland, Scotland and here is my question: When you have only 3 days, what would be the best plan of attack? You have to figure in travel time to the next country so it has felt very rushed. Paris in 3 days was a frantic feeling for me. Trying to see so much in such a short amount of time. My DH doesn't seem to mind but I feel like it almost makes it not very fun!

I have been to most every country in Europe so I have a different perspective than he does because I traveled there during my summers in college in a leisurely way as college students can do! He is just seeing these countries for the first time. We are talking about Venice or Switzerland next year.

Should I try to push for another day or 2? The other factor is that he is in a very high level job and feels stressed when he takes too much time away--- but I may be able to talk him into more time if his schedule permits. Also, what source should I use to find our hotels? It seems like an overwhelming maze of info out there.

Our hotel in Scotland was $150 per night (great price!), had a great location but the room was borderline---smoke smell in bathroom. Very little charm whatsoever. I have wondered if going to smaller towns in the different country would make the experience of 3 days more enjoyable? Thanks for your insight!