Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with lodging

Help me find a hotel a short subway ride away from a conference in Philadelphia

croutonsupafreak — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:04:57 -0800

Every hotel room within a mile of my upcoming Philadelphia conference is booked. Where can I stay that has easy weekend, weekday and evening public transit access to the University of Pennsylvania campus, specifically Jon M. Huntsman Hall at 3730 Walnut Street, Philadelphia? What do I need to know about using public transit to get back and forth? Must be safe after dark. Bonus points if it's affordable, as I'm paying for this out of my own pocket. My travel dates are Oct. 17 - Oct. 21, an apparently there's a much larger conference that's overlapping and eating up all the close-in hotel rooms during that time. I'll be arriving as early as 8 a.m., and leaving the conference as late as 9 p.m., and coming and going on weekdays and weekends both.

In the ultra-cheap realm, I found Apple Hostels, 32 Bank Street, which appears to be on a SEPTA line that connects directly to my conference. It looks like a pretty touristy/historic neighborhood, which leads me to guess that it's safe. But I've never been to Philly, and don't really know the ins and outs of anything.

I'd love advice on how SEPTA works, too. I've ridden subway systems in a number of systems, and most aren't too difficult to figure out. But SEPTA's Web site talks about tokens, which I've never used anywhere.

Looking for super-cheap hotel in San Francisco

Susan PG — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:42:08 -0800

A friend is visiting San Francisco from Toronto just before Christmas, and looking for recommendations for somewhere super-cheap to stay. She is 55, well-travelled, assertive and not easily fazed. And, she's pretty broke. She's travelling alone and will be in SF for about a week, doing tourist stuff.

The ideal accommodation would be 1) less than $50 a night, 2) as close as possible to City Hall, 3) not insanely unsafe, and 4) reasonably clean. A sketchy neighborhood is okay, but a creepy hotel or creepy staff would not be. Threadbare and shopworn is fine. Privacy and a reasonable level of quiet is good; loud drunk neighbors would be bad.

She obviously can't afford a conventional hotel or B-and-B, and I think a hostel would drive her crazy, as would couch-surfing -- she's pretty introverted. So I'm a bit stuck. Does anyone know a school, or religious group, or condo association, that rents out rooms for cheap?

Sadly, Sleeping Bear is too far north.

chesty_a_arthur — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:53:18 -0800

Looking for recommendations for lodging on the SW Michigan lake coast (Saugatuck, South Haven) on a budget for a couple of days. We're in Cleveland, meeting friends from Chicago. We're a small family on a tight budget; they're students on a tight budget. Rustic camping would be ideal, although an inexpensive hotel/motel would also be fine. Any recommendations? I've looked at michigan.org, saugatuck.com and so forth, but I'm having a hard time finding a non-RV campground, and would love Actual Lodging recommendations (cheap and safe is perfect.)

We're talking about the weekend of the 22nd.

I-84 lodging needed in NY state

sevenstars — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:03:18 -0800

Where can we stay tomorrow night (7/23) not too far off Route I-84 in New York state, hopefully west of the Hudson? Motel or B&B okay.

Convention with Baby...Where to stay in Portland

rvrlvr — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:38:49 -0800

We will be attending a convention in Portland (Oregon Convention Center) with a young baby. Looking for a place to stay that is conveniently located, has a kitchen(ette) and not a million bucks. It is important that the place have a kitchen so that we can cook for ourselves and the new little one. A hotel, apartment, house, vacation rental...anything will work.

We need to sleep 2 or 3 adults (may bring grandparents along to help out) so 2 bedrooms would be great, but not necessary.

We don't want to be too far from the convention center -- so that if we need to meet back up during the day it will not take too long. Public transport would be great.

City of Light on a light wallet

bricoleur — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:14:02 -0800

Care to share your tips and tricks for spending a week in Paris on the cheap? Accomodations: Clean and quiet. Open to anything from couchsurfing.org to short-term apartment rental.
Food: Cheap ethnic preferred, but I'm not picky.

Bonus points for stuff in the 13th and 14th (hoping to attend DrupalCon at Cité Internationale Universitaire).

Know a good Burlington, Vt motel and a cool restaurant?

Anonymous — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:18:31 -0800

Recommend a decent motel in Burlington, Vt, and the coolest restaurants in town? Going to see David Byrne at the Shelburne Museum next month. Trying to find a decent motel.

Don't need an indoor pool or anything, just clean and comfortable. Have seen the Vermont Cheap Motel List (http://www.motelguide.com/vtag.html) but it's just a list you apparently pay to get on. A little firsthand experience would go a long way.

A cool restaurant would be great too. Have read this thread: http://ask.metafilter.com/102050/Where-should-we-eat-in-Burlington-VT

... but it's not exactly what I'm after.

Seeking cool restaurants. "Cool" meaning memorable for its character while having good-to-great food. Not fine dining, necessarily, not the most expensive places in town. Just a place that's unique in its own way. A place you won't find anywhere else. Vermont has a reputation for funkiness, and I seek to bring in da funk to this trip.

Thanks.

(Anonymous because the trip is a surprise for someone who reads MeFi).

What was a "Modern European Hotel" in the US in 1920?

tnygard — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:55:31 -0800

What was a "Modern European Hotel" in the US in 1920? Hi all, I am researching a cartoonist who lived in an American Midwestern boarding house that advertised itself as a "Modern European Hotel" in 1920. Do you have any idea what that meant? What amenities might there have been? Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry? Did this indicate a "nice" place or a not-so-nice one?

My sense is that this was a cheaper boarding house, and people were mostly living there long-term. Using the census records I determined that fellow boarders included a bookbinder, a waitress, five salesmen (one travelling), a grocer, two musicians, an auto tire worker, a live-in staff of four, the proprietor, and eleven unemployed wives and children. Perhaps some of you have seen "Modern European Hotel" used in novels or some other source from that era? Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks for your thoughts!

Accomodations In Pikeville KY

madmamasmith — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:31:28 -0800

Does anyone know about places to stay in Pikeville Kentucky??? I want to take my fiance to Hillbilly Days in Pikeville Kentucky for his b-day. I want to stay in a secluded cabin or cottage near Pikeville. I have only been able to find cabins in Lexington, which is like 2 hours away. Does anyone know of any neato places to stay that's between Lexington and Pikeville? I will take a cool hotel or B&B as a last resort, but I would prefer a nice remote cabin, where we can relax and have some real privacy. Any ideas?

Eureka.

mudpuppie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:40:07 -0800

Quaint, cheap-ish lodging in Northern California. I can has? We need to go somewhere. And when we're there, we need to stay somewhere for under $100 a night. When? Some weekend in January or February. Where? Near the coast or the foothills. We've traveled most of NoCal, so nothing's really new. Thought we'd base a trip around finding some exciting, affordable place to stay.

Pluses: Quaintness, funk, charm, solitude. We don't mind 'rustic,' but we're not willing to sacrifice cleanliness in favor of it. Proximity to outdoor activities is necessary (though that's pretty much a given anywhere in CA). Also, we like gardens. Add gardens to the plus column.

Location: On the coast, we're willing to go anywhere between Pescadero and Jenner. Mid-state, anywhere from Napa up to the Anderson Valley. (Mendocino's a bit too far for a weekend, alas.)
Foothill-wise, from Sonora in the south to Nevada City in the north. We could head to Truckee, too, but probably won't since chain controls are always a possible complicating factor.

So. Have you stayed in any cool inns, B&Bs, cabins, or similar places in Northern California that can be had for under $100 a night?

more bang for my meager buck

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:35:50 -0800

I'm going to Rome for one week in February. How can I cheap out on lodging while there? I'm traveling with my boyfriend. The trip itself is only affordable to begin with because of the awesomeness of EasyJet. We're planning on trying to couchsurf but, if that doesn't work out, do you know of any hostels/hotels/monasteries where we can stay for less than 30euros/night total cost? (if you have any other advice on enjoying oneself in Rome while not spending much money, that's welcome too!)

how to become an amateur hosteller ?

nicolin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:30:47 -0800

I need an advice on a business proposal I want to do to my mother. My mother has inherited a flour mill. It was my grandfather's business and she didn't want the building to turn into a wreck after my grandfather had given up milling. So she invested a fair amount of money to turn each level of the building in an autonomous flat (I've put some pictures here). What happens now is that my grandfather is gone and my mother has a tremendous amount of money to give to the bank each month. So she really needs to rent out each level. The mill is located in a small village, in the south of France, which hasn't many assets apart from the fact that it's a real quiet place, a rural one. The three flats had been rented for a few months, but someone moved out, and then someone moved out again. So there's only one person inside the building right now.

I would like to tell to my mother to put some furniture in one of the flats to be able to rent it per week or even for a few days to travelers and people eager to taste a little quietness.

Do you think that it's a good idea ? I would like to promote such a place on English speaking sites to attract people seeking a fFrench rural spot. Is it worth a try ? How would you manage that ?

Lodging in and around Sequoia?

Hairy Lobster — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:55:40 -0800

I'm planning to visit Sequoia National Park for a long romantic weekend with the girlfriend and was hoping someone here might be able to recommend a place or places to stay. Originally we wanted to stay at Wuksachi Sequoia Lodge but we couldn't get reservations for the particular weekend. A fireplace would be a big plus!

Oahu help!

gatorbiddy — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:23:48 -0800

Looking for Oahu travel advice.... We'll be travelling to Oahu for 7 nights in December, already bought the airfare into Honululu, but now we need to find place(s) to stay! We've decided to stay on Oahu rather than spend money to travel to any other islands, first time in Hawaii for both of us and the choices are a bit overwhelming.

We're looking for one or two different locations on the island in which to rent a condo/vrbo, hotel, b&b, or something similar. We're interested in fantastic beaches and swimming/snorkeling, as well as some sojourns for great hikes, greenery and jungle type atmosphere. Preferably with a less touristy vibe. Looking to spend less than 200 per night at the very most. If a place had a kitchen we'd probably cook a fair bit, so that's why a rental may be interesting, but not necessary.

Does anyone have town or island area recommendations that would help me narrow down the lodging search? Specific experience with any particularly lodging would also be great, as well as things not to miss. From what I've read so far, Waimanalo and Kailua look pretty great. Anyone have first hand experience with staying there?

Any Oahu advice would be so greatly appreciated. I feel like we just need to pick a great town or two and then the lodging will take care of itself from there. Any hidden gems out there for great beaches, atmosphere, and relaxation?

Thanks for the help!!

Nice but inexpensive/moderately priced lodging around Boston?

14580 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:03:29 -0800

We're going to be visiting Boston for a few days, starting tomorrow (Sunday). We'd like to avoid traffic and parking issues by staying in the outskirts and taking mass-transit into downtown to see the sights. We're looking for a hotel or motel that is pleasant, clean and fairly inexpensive (less than $125/night IF possible). Any recommendations?

Recommend me a hotel in Houston

macdara — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:27:39 -0800

My SO and I are planning a very short trip to Houston next April, but obviously we'll need somewhere to stay for the night when we're there -- the question is, where? We're planning to travel from Dublin, Ireland to WrestleMania XXV at Reliant Stadium next April. We won't be staying long -- flying into the city on the Saturday and leaving on the Monday just after, flight availability provided -- so we only need somewhere cheap and cheerful for (most likely) two nights.

However, since neither of us drives, we really need somewhere that's either on or a short (safe) walk to the METRORail line so we can get to and from Reliant Park. We don't want to get lost in Texas; it's a big place.

So what options do we have, accommodation-wise? Any and all advice welcome! (But please, don't recommend anything that necessitates driving. I know Houston is a car city, but neither of us has a licence so it's out of the question.)

Seeking Family Reunion Destination Ideas

jeanmari — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:24:37 -0800

Seeking family reunion location ideas in the Mid-Atlantic states for crazy Irish clan. There are specific requests that folks are making... My mom's family is going to try for their first family reunion ever that doesn't involve a wedding. Because folks are scattered from New York to Florida, they'd like to find something in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.

Around fifty people, adults and kids.

This is a very diverse group in age...from newborns to folks in their 70's. While no one needs handicapped access, sprints up a mountain are probably out for some.

Would like a wide variety of activities that would include being near some kind of water (ocean, lake) as well as being near golf. Everything else is negotiable.

Some will rent houses and stay for a week. Some will want to stay only a weekend and just use a hotel or a B&B. Indoor plumbing is a must for these folks. Their version of roughing it is staying in a Motel 6.

This is during the summer.

Restaurants nearby are preferable, but it is possible that they'd consider a "rent a family camp" situation and hire their own cook for the week.

Oh help me Hivemind! And prove to my mom that my internet addiction can actually be useful.

Help me cushion the leaving-home blow.

AthenaPolias — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:43:14 -0800

I'm moving from Boston to Cincinnati in a few weeks, and am doing the drive to OH on my own. I'd like to stop halfway through and stay the night - someplace not expensive, but hopefully someplace nice (to help cushion the blow of leaving 'home' for good). However, Travelocity et. al. are just giving me HoJos, Holiday Inns, etc, all for quite a bit of money per night and generally with questionable cleanliness. It seems logical to get off the highway to find a place that's not going to rip me off - but how do I find a nice, clean, mostly inexpensive place while knowing nothing about the area I'm hoping to stop (Rochester/Buffalo/Erie, PA)? Can you help? I have this awful mental picture of checking into a hotel and finding a dingy room with basic cable, threadbare sheets, with a rotten shower, and feeling terribly lonely on my first night of my new adventure. If at all possible I'd like to avoid this scenario - but being a grad student I don't have much money to help insulate myself from this. Getting off the highway seems the best idea, but I need to know what I'm driving towards for the end of the first day - so I turn to the Hivemind for some local tips.

I should add that my route is flexible at this point. Google maps tells me to take 1-90W and drive through upstate NY, bypassing most of PA (fine with me!) on the way into Ohio. It seems the easiest and speediest, but I can alter this if it might be worth my while for an enjoyable night.

My price range is up to about $150 a night. I know anything right on the highway is going to be pricey for not the nicest room, but that's mostly the limit of what I know to search. Short of punching every town in a reasonable distance to Orbitz (which I've already begin to try, with little result), that is.

Can you help find me a comfy spot for what is bound to be a bittersweet night?

Where to stay in Denver?

amb — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:42:38 -0800

Visiting Denver in late August -- where should I stay? I'm taking a week to visit Colorado and parts of Wyoming later this month. I'll be hiking and camping in the Rockies for much of the week, but I'll also have a couple of days to see Denver.

Specifically, I'm looking for a place to stay on Thu Aug 21 after the My Morning Jacket show at Red Rocks, and Fri Aug 22 after a day of exploring Denver on foot. I'll fly home to San Francisco on Saturday afternoon. I definitely want to find a place with some local/independent charm -- not a Motel 6. Any tips? (If you have food and beer suggestions too, even better!)

Thanks!

Where to stay in Olympic National Forest

ambrosia — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:22:08 -0800

Please share your favorite lodgings in/near Olympic National Park. We are planning a family reunion for the summer of 2009, and we've decided to go to Olympic National Park. There are lots of different places to stay, and I'm having a hard time sorting out the best spots. Some of the places that have been suggested are Lake Crescent Lodge, Lake Quinault Lodge and Kalaloch Lodge. Reviews on tripadvisor.com are rather mixed. Please share your experiences of these lodges or suggest another place.

We will be a group of 10 people ranging in age from 1 to 74, wanting 5 separate sleeping spaces. A few of us might be up for serious camping, but most of us will want rooms with beds and en-suite baths.

Places to stay in/close to Yosemite

lmY2K — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:04:29 -0800

Please advise on a place to stay in Yosemite in August for two not very outdoorsy families with young children. We are planning on driving there from the Bay Area and staying for two-three nights.

Looking for advice about Spanish immersion programs (and more) while in Oaxaca, Mexico

iamkimiam — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:02:03 -0800

Traveling to Oaxaca with a friend for a 2-4 week Spanish immersion program this June/July. We are looking for some advice about Spanish language programs, homestays/lodging, and transportation. We are having a very difficult time finding a good learning program—there are so many to choose from and we don't quite know what to look for and how to determine which ones are good. We are both in our 30's, female, both semi-fluent in French (if that helps us any), but looking for an intensive Spanish immersion program in Oaxaca. We want to learn as much of the language and about the culture as we can during our short stay.

Have you had experience with programs in Oaxaca (state or city)? Did you do a homestay? What do you recommend? What should we know?

Also, any information about transportation and/or beginning/intermediate surfing in the area would be much appreciated!

A Harley is a motorcycle, right?

pitseleh — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:47:11 -0800

Please help me enjoy the Harley Davidson 105th Anniversary tickets I just bought! My partner is a big Bruce Springsteen fan, so even though we're not Harley types, I just bought tickets to the Harley Davidson 105th Anniversary festival in Milwaukee at the end of August, where Bruce and the E Street band are headlining. Unfortunately, I've now found that every hotel within 50 miles of the city is booked solid. I live only 1.5 hours away in Chicago, so we could drive into Milwaukee just for the day (or just for the Bruce concert), but even then, I'm worried about finding parking and navigating the city in general. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Where should my girlfriend and I stay around Big Sur in June?

autojack — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:47:25 -0800

Where should my girlfriend and I stay for a quiet, semi-romantic weekend around Big Sur in June? My girlfriend will be visiting from Australia for two weeks at the end of May/beginning of June. We're planning to get the hell out of San Francisco for four days, Thursday to Sunday. We've both driven through Big Sur but never spent any time there, so we thought that would be a good destination.

We've talked about camping, and if we decide to do that I think I'm going to go with Andrew Molera State Park, as suggested to me in this thread I started a year ago. However, I'm interested in presenting an alternative that involves more traditional accommodations.

All we really want to do is walk on the beach, hike in the woods, sit around in the sun and just enjoy some peace and quiet. So I think, location-wise, something near Andrew Molera would be a good bet. I also have this idea that having our own hot tub to chill in at the end of the day would be extremely sweet, but the two places I've discovered with that kind of amenity are "spas" which run in the $1k+ per night price range, so I'm not sure if that idea is feasible with my budget (maybe $500/night?).

On the whole I'm open to any suggestions about lodging, stuff to do, places to eat, etc. I'm just looking for a memorable weekend!

Great places for a honeymoon in Northern Minnesota?

bristolcat — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:03:59 -0800

Please help us find some unique destinations and lodging options in Northern Minnesota for our honeymoon. We are leaving the first week of May and have yet to get any firm plans for our honeymoon, so we need to decide soon! We just haven't been able to find any places that really grab our attention yet, though. It would be nice to have a place where we can relax, enjoy nature and see and try interesting activities. We won't be doing anything too involved, as we are really just trying to get away to be with each other, but we do like to cycle and hike.

We're interested in resorts, cabins and bed and breakfasts. We will probably skip around locations a few times throughout our week. Any personal experiences would be welcomed!

I don't think we'll be looking to "rough it" too much and there is such a thing as too unique, but please share what you know about vacationing in Northern Minnesota.

Your help and input would be appreciated! Thanks!