Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hotels

Is tipping at hotels sex-biased?

KimikoPi — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:21:30 -0800

I've never worked in any hospitality industry, so I'm just wondering as a casual consumer/observer. How come people are supposed to tip their valets and bellhops at hotels, and they are always only men while there's no rule that you tip the housekeeping, and they are always female? I've always heard that at hotels, you're supposed to tip valets and bellhops and waiters and bartenders, of course. When I go to hotels, they are almost always male. I've never seen a female valet or bellhop (why is this btw?). But the housekeepers are always female immigrants and I've never heard of people tipping them. What are the wages of these groups? Do valets only work on tips and get no base hourly rate like the housekeeping staff? Do the high rollers who go to vegas give big tips to valets and bellhops but nothing to the housekeeping? Why aren't women either applying for or getting jobs that tip well?

Great beach hotel near Charleston, SC?

0110 — Wed, 01 May 2013 05:16:32 -0800

I'm looking for a nice, but moderately priced beach hotel near Charleston SC. Has anybody had a really good experience at a Charleston-area beach resort or hotel?

Wedding night prep, what do I need to get ready?

snow_mac — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:56:07 -0800

1. I want to deck out the hotel room. We're staying at a Denver Marriott for the wedding night before flying out. I want roses, candles etc... all nice and romantic. Will the marriott put out candles, rose petals, roses and chocolate strawberries for me? I'll be coming from faraway in the mountains, so if they could do it for me that would be awesome. 2. We're doing gift exchange between eachother. Any ideas what I should get my bride?

Overnight in Oberhausen

dmvs — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:17:30 -0800

My husband and I want to drive from Berlin to Oberhausen soon to visit Christo's Big Air Package. Where should we stay overnight? It doesn't need to be in Oberhausen, but ideally within about a 30 minute drive. Restaurant suggestions also welcome.

Best luxury hotels in Fort Worth, Texas?

sevensnowflakes — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:15:48 -0800

Best luxury hotels in Fort Worth, Texas? The title says it all - I'm looking for someplace amazing to stay for one or two nights in Fort Worth, TX. My gentleman is looking forward to a concert that's happening there and I'd like to surprise him with a killer package at a luxury hotel the weekend of the show. Bonus points if the hotel is funky and non-chain (a la Hotel San Jose or Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin), although I'd do a chain if it was absolutely top-notch. I know some good hotels in Dallas, so I'd prefer Fort Worth only, since we'll be, uh, consuming adult beverages aplenty at the show. Thanks!

Where to stay, what to do with kids in Denver.

not that girl — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:23:14 -0800

My kids (ages 12, 9, and almost-6) and I will be in Denver for two days and one night this coming July. I am looking for advice about where to stay and what to do. Here are our special circumstances:

We will be dropped off at the train station on Saturday morning, and will leave by train on Sunday evening. I don't want to rent a car, so a hotel within an easy-to-moderate cab ride of the train station, while also being within easy reach, or straightforward public transit, of attractions, would be ideal.

We have been to a lot of big cities and seen their aquariums, natural history museums, science musems, and so on. We've been to the Field Museum in Chicago, the Franklin Institute in Philly, the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, the New England Aquarium in Boston. We love that stuff, but we are not likely to be in Denver again. If Denver doesn't have a head-and-shoulders-above iteration of one of those kinds of places, we might prefer a less-splashy but more unique-to-Denver outing over, say, a science museum whose exhibits are typical of science museums everywhere.

We like to splurge on a nice hotel from time to time. I may have to penny-pinch when the time comes, but for the purpose of this question, assume we're willing to pay $150 +/- $25 for a spiffy place and a good location.

Modern Motel in Mitte?

Xurando — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:23:08 -0800

Looking for the current trendiest, most happening hotel in Berlin? Will be in Berlin in a couple of weeks. It's hotel scene appears to be at the apex of modern lodging. Which hotel is the most out there currently. Moderate price is nice but not essential.

How to find an affordable Austin Hotel during SXSW?

touareg — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:41:15 -0800

Can't find an affordable hotel for SXSW, where else to look? I'm going to be in Austin for SXSW (Mar 3rd-12) but I can't find any hotels. The ones that I've found charge exorbitant rates.

Any other suggestions to find affordable lodging?

Hawaiian holiday accommodation recommendations

Kris10_b — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:12:37 -0800

I'm going to Hawaii with 2 friends in May and am looking for recommendations for hotels. We will be staying in Kapaa for 3 nights, Kona for 3-4 nights, Hilo for 1-2 nights and Honolulu for 2 nights. We would prefer to share a room/suite but have separate beds, although it looks like this might not be possible in Hilo. Being close (walking distance) to restaurants or bars other than those in the hotel would be preferable so we don't all have to go back to the room at the same time (and I don't feel guilty for not wanting to stay out). Bar and restaurant suggestions in those places are also welcome. We've figured out most of the sightseeing stuff we want to do.

Is it better to avoid visiting San Francisco during Outside Lands?

fussbudget — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:29:53 -0800

We are hoping to spend a long weekend in San Francisco in August and get married on a Monday at City Hall. We were looking at the weekend of August 10-11, but it looks like the Outside Lands festival is going on that weekend. Is the city going to be crazy that weekend? Will it be hard to find hotels & make restaurant reservations? Will the hotels be more full than usual with partying people? Should we do it the weekend before (August 3-4) instead, or is it likely that there's something else going on that weekend that will make things just as crowded? Any other logistical advice? We are doing a small family wedding - probably 11 people, including us and two small kids. Thanks very much!

Still trying to visit Austin, having trouble finding an affordable hotel

JoanArkham — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 07:24:27 -0800

So our planned January trip got bumped to March. I knew enough to not try to book anything around SXSW, but even 2 weeks after, there is very limited hotel availability and very high prices. So then I started looking for rooms in mid-May...still limited availability and high prices. I have seriously never seen rooms this expensive outside of NYC, like $300 for a Marriott Courtyard that we would normally pay half that for. And no discounts to be had (we often book rooms with a govt. discount...no dice).

Is that just what it costs to stay downtown, or is there some "sweet spot" in-between major events that I'm missing? We're fine in either a corporate or boutique hotel , we just want decent quality in a a decent location. I'd like to keep the costs to no more than $200 a night, at the absolute max.

Our dates are fairly flexible, but I don't want to wait until it's ridiculously hot, either.

Any ideas? I'm usually pretty good at this (I got us a room at a W in New Orleans for $100!) but I'm starting to get kind of bummed out.

Hotels with jacuzzi driving distance from Long Island

inertia — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:12:09 -0800

I want to take my awesome boyfriend away from a relaxing weekend in a hotel with an in-room jacuzzi tub. We are in Long Island, but location is less important than the hotel itself, so I am interested in anywhere within a couple hour's driving distance from NYC. Budget is $200/night, although I would spend a bit more for something really nice. I have seen this previous askme, but it's a bit out of my price range, and of course I've seen the hilarious champagne glass hottub, which is sadly also out of my price range.

First trip to a major city since the bed bug armies attacked...

Eicats — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:31:09 -0800

Traveling to Minneapolis in early January--when making a hotel reservation, will it be offensive to inquire if they've had bed bug problems? Or will it be any use at all to ask? (assuming the receptionist will say, "no, no, everything's fine!") Bonus: any recommendations of hotels to steer clear of/hotels with a great reputation? (Can't afford the 4-star hotels; looking for something in the Shriner Clinic area.)

Montreal hotels/suggestions for a short visit?

ebesan — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:58:39 -0800

Montreal hotels/suggestions for a short visit? Tell me about the city Last minute escape/trip to Montreal at Xmas. Need suggestions for a decent hotel/B & B reasonably close to Amtrak Station. Where do you love to wander/eat/? I have a couple of days to explore the city looking for nice neighborhoods/buildings/odds and ends.

Best value/location/'nice'ness hotel in Miami for Ultra Music Festival?

6spd — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:03:19 -0800

Best value/location/'nice'ness hotel in Miami for Ultra Music Festival? My buddies and I (total 4 people) will be going to Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2013 for the second weekend (3/22 - 3/24) act.

Any recommendations for hotels? While we would love to be as close as possible to Bayfront park as possible, we're willing to stay somewhere further away if it's cheaper AS LONG AS the hotel is nearby a MetroRail station.

My understanding is that you can hop on the MetroRail and get off at Government Center, then take the MetroMover to Bayfront Park.

Our price range is capped at around $450/night and we want a single room with two queen beds.

Alternatively, if there are hotels where we can get two rooms and stay in the same price range, total, that would be fine (i.e. two rooms @ $225/night) as well. I'm assuming this will yield very crappy hotels, however, so we're willing to sacrifice that extra room/privacy for a nicer place.

Currently, our best option seems to be the Hampton Inn at Brickell for a Queen suite with two queen beds at $409 a night, but we're wondering if we're missing anything.

Thanks!

Bigger than a Pod, cheaper than the W- Hotel Recs in NYC?

bquarters — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:41:28 -0800

Hi, this is a classic New York question but where can I put up two visitors? They are not romantically involved so need two bed spaces or one big one...neither of which I possess. Does anyone know of any hotel/b and b (apart from airbnb of course) that would accommodate two 50-ish women from the UK visiting NYC for the first time? Bonus points if around Gramercy area but anywhere in the SoPo (haha, below 38th street) area is fine. Anywhere is fine really if the price and location is right. Thank you!

I live here but am obviously slightly clueless and my apt would have VERY little floor space left if two inflatable mattresses were set up...anyway, just checking out options.

Is it rude to tell a hotel porter I can carry my own luggage?

three_red_balloons — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:35:09 -0800

Do I have to let a hotel porter carry my luggage? I'm staying at a semi-fancy hotel tonight (purchased cheaply via Priceline), and I can easily carry my own tiny suitcase. I'm on a budget. Is it rude for me to say I can get my own bag? Will the porter (bellman? I don't even know the right terms here) come up with me anyway? How much am I expected to tip? Thanks!

How should we go about finding a place to stay for a few months in London?

pbh — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 23:14:51 -0800

Moving from California to London for three months: how should we go about finding a place to stay in London? My wife and I are Americans living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Due to work, my wife will be working from London from early January until the end of March. (I'm planning on staying with her for most or all of this time period as well.)

How should we go about finding accommodation in London? Three months is kind of an awkward period of time --- it doesn't seem long enough to rent a regular apartment (flat), but it seems a bit too long to stay in a traditional hotel room. I've looked at a few different sites, from hotels (travelocity, marriott) to more owner rental type sites (homeaway), but I'm not really sure where or how to look for this sort of thing.

Our specific details:

We probably want to be near Victoria Station (work) or Marylebone (where a friend lives).

We can't visit any of the places beforehand, but we may be able to send a friend on one or two visits to different locations.

Space and quiet are fairly important to us.

We need relatively decent Internet.

Our budget is fairly substantial, probably in the range of £100-175/day.

Help our Thanksgiving trip not be a turkey.

rabbitrabbit — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:41:31 -0800

Portland-area getaway, Thanksgiving weekend, mountains or coast. With dog and toddler. Help? We are thinking of skipping Thanksgiving this year in favor of a mini-vacation either at the Oregon Coast or up in the mountains. Slight preference for the mountains, since we've been there a lot less than we've been to the coast, but either would be good.

Difficulty: elderly dog (so pet-friendly, no stairs, and easy to get outside to go potty), 23-month-old (so we would prefer a suite, where we can put him down and close the door and have some adult time), and Thanksgiving weekend (so there will need to be nearby restaurants open on Thanksgiving, or our suite will need a kitchen so we can cook). Also, relatively short notice. Is this good or bad, considering it's Thanksgiving weekend? I do not even know.

Prefer to pay $150 or less per night. Ideally, we'd like a cabin or something "special" like that, but I know that's not likely.

I hate researching and booking accommodations almost more than I hate anything else in the world, and this is not something priceline is good at. Any ideas?

Hotels and fun stuff in San Francisco

Cat Pie Hurts — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 06:44:42 -0800

My girlfriend and I are visiting San Francisco in early December. Neither of us have ever been there. Please help us find a reasonably priced (less than $150/night preferably) hotel in the city. Bonus question: Fun things (the weirder the better)to do and amazing vegan restaurant recommendations are a plus! Thanks!

Extended stay in Gaithersburg

Aanidaani — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:02:50 -0800

I will be staying in the Gaithersburg, Maryland, area for four to six weeks and I'm looking for a decent extended stay hotel. Has anyone stayed in this area before and could you recommend a good extended stay hotel, preferably close to NIST? Thanks!

But I am a non name knowing dork.

monkey!knife!fight! — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 02:30:01 -0800

What is this thing called? All I can come up wtih is "silver catering tray" but I'm thinking it must have a name? Or maybe "silver catering tray" is it's proper name? I just need to describe it to a client and I don't want to look like a non name knowing dork. THANK YOU.

Hotelzzz at Sydney Airport

cromagnon — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:28:37 -0800

What's the nearest bed to Arrivals at Sydney airport? I'll be fresh off a 24 hour journey and I can never sleep on planes. I don't mind paying, but any advice on airport hotels, especially any to avoid, much appreciated...

Sleeping in Switzerland

larthegreat — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 07:42:22 -0800

I am taking a last-minute, whirlwind tour of Switzerland from August 29-Sept 7th, and need budget lodging recommendations. Afforable lodging would be in the ~$100 per night range. I might be able to go up to $150, but that would start killing the food budget ($70-100 seems definitely doable for private rooms in hostels, but I'm overwhelmed by options)

I'm looking for hostel/hotel lodging recommendations for the following cities: Zurich, Geneva, Zermatt, St. Moritz and St. Gallens.

Given that we just dropped on a grand each on railpasses and flights, I realize that we're going to have to scramble to find cheap lodging- probably resorting to private rooms in hostels, doing a lot of hiking for our entertainment and eating a ton of cheese.

Right now, our only real desires are to do the glacier express from Zermatt to St. Moritz, and to do some hiking around Zermatt at the base of the Matterhorn. I've been to Geneva before, and while the lake is gorgeous, I've always found it a rather practical city. As we'll have rail passes, pretty much all of Switzerland is open to us- so random towns are definitely doable.

Dining/food recommendations would also be awesome. We're omnivores who love to cook, so the back up plan is to subsist on cheese, bread and wine.

Help me find a place to stay for my honeymoon in Hawaii

snow_mac — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:52:14 -0800

We're doing our honeymoon in Hawaii, either the Oahu or Maui. We're looking for a quite place June 3, 2013 - June 10, 2013. We're looking for a condo with a kitchen and that's ADA accessible I have gluten intolerance, lots of allergies and she has lactose issues, we've decided to stay on one of those islands because they are very close to a Whole Foods which is necessary for our diets and we LOVE to cook.

Our search Criteria:

1. Must have a kitchen w/ stove, skillets, silverware etc...
2. Must be ADA accessible
3. <$300 a night

Nice to haves:
1. Private hot tub
2. Far from the beach, maybe near a forest
3. Private

We're looking at Maui and the big island, we're open to condos at big hotels like Marriot. We're open to any kind of property, cottages, cabins, condos, apartments, etc...

Any ideas or suggestions would be extremely helpful!