London!

Now this was fun!!

We booked the Holiday Inn London-Heathrow M4 Jct.4 in West Drayton, England for 3 nights before a transatlantic cruise. It was booked with reward points, and I always have trouble finding any faults whatsoever with free stuff. I especially can't complain when it is a only a stop-off before a cruise! But let's see... I will try to be objective about the hotel stay so I can give you a good overview.

We arrived at the hotel after an 8 1/2 hour (economy) flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Heathrow Airport in England. I am so not going to review that interesting experience because, well, just because. Anyway, suffice it to say we were seriously sleep-deprived on check-in. I think the staff at the hotel were specially trained in dealing with folks in our condition, because they seemed to be able to gently ask all the right questions to get us checked in properly. They were absolutely wonderful.

We were given an "executive" room. It was so cute! Small, but quite serviceable, the room was clean, comfortable, and had a towel warmer in the bathroom. I love towel warmers.

We took a short nap on arrival and the room was dark and quiet - more proof that the hotel caters to travelers just off international flights. Too tired to go very far for dinner, we went to the hotel's "Irish" pub. The food was fine but the music was exceptionally loud, and was getting louder by the minute. We finally figured out that this was because the pub was advertising "Disco Night." An American disco in an Irish pub at an English hotel. It doesn't get much better than that. But it did. By the time we got our Boddingtons and "proper" fish and chips we had met a charming British couple and were in the midst of a fascinating conversation about politics - both British and American - when the music swelled so loud we couldn't hear ourselves talk. That's when we decided to move outside the pub into the lobby lounge. The lounge was also very busy but a little quieter, so we continued our collective solving of the world's problems until we realized that the Brits had an early flight and we were just plain 'ol tired. We retired to our cute little executive room and slept very well.

The next morning we asked the nice lady at the concierge desk how to catch a bus to downtown London. She seemed a little surprised that we wanted public transport, then directed us to the nearby bus stop (only a couple of minutes away) in front of The Plough, a local pub. I won't go into the adventures of our stay, but if you are interested, here is a link to our wonderful London holiday and subsequent cruise.

We manage to find humor in small things, and found ourselves entertained every time we got in the hotel elevator. It was like being in a "Twitter" elevator. There was a tweet for every action, all in a beautiful female British accent. "Door closing. Lift going up. Lift going down. First floor. Lift stopping. Door opening." All the chatter made us giggle. I'm sure when there were other people on the elevator at the same time as us they must've been thinking those Americans were one floor short of the lobby.

All-in-all this was a great stay, and it was the perfect start to a perfect vacation.

If you build it…will they still come?

I have been to all the other Holiday Inn properties in Austin Texas. I decided to try out the Austin Holiday Inn NW Arboretum location because I kept hoping I’d find a location that worked for me. I think I’ll probably start working through the competitor’s hotels next.

Hotel legend has it that the hotel was there long before the overhead freeway system was built. Finding the hotel required a GPS, a divining rod, and a lot of luck. The friendly desk staff gave me a map and a big ball of string to find my way back the second day.

You have to really want to stay at this hotel.

The hotel hasn’t participated in the chain’s re-branding process, but it was clean and remarkably quiet since it practically sits in the middle of a major expressway. The hotel bar doubles as the restaurant. This can be a good thing, especially when you miss the only exit to the hotel and have to drive an extra 45 minutes in rush hour traffic before you can turn around. Twice.

The hotel only had wired internet access in the room, and offered wireless access only in public areas. If you’ve read my earlier posts, you’ll know I really don’t like this arrangement. When I checked out I mentioned to the front desk person that while my stay was comfortable, I probably wouldn’t stay at the hotel again because I want wireless access in my room. She offered me the following explanation: The hotel had recently gone through major renovations (really?) and was looking at the costs of re-branding. Providing wireless throughout the hotel was too expensive so they just offered it in the public areas. But she said next time I could ask for a room off the lobby since sometimes people in those rooms could pick up the wireless. What??

Maybe it’s an Austin thing. Maybe the convergence of the Church of Unconscious Harmony’s proximity to the Magnetic Tattoo Parlor created a vortex or something. Or, maybe they are just determined to Keep Austin Weird.

Rockin’ round the Hotel

Disclaimer: If you are under the age of 50 you’ll either want to skip this blog or your curiosity will lead you to seek out a senior citizen for an explanation.

Staying at the Holiday Inn Dallas Market Center in Dallas Texas was like listening to a 45 RPM record. The hotel was shaped like one of those adapter doo-dads we used to put in the middle of the 45 so it would fit the spindle on the record player. From the moment I stepped into the hotel, I felt a bit like I was putting the stylus in the groove.

The elevator was the middle of the hole. Getting off the elevator was a little weird but nice, since there was no way to get lost. If I turned the wrong way off the elevator I just walked around and around until I found the hallway leading to my room. And there were no straight walls in the room - they all had a slight curve.

The whole hotel was sort of a time-warp. For an older hotel it was well-kept and the staff was exceptionally friendly. Maybe the lack of modernization was because the hotel was so isolated. There was a train track running alongside the property. I almost expected to see Uncle Joe movin’ kinda’ slow at the junction. And yes, I could hear the train at night - but that’s what earplugs are for, right?

I do have a semi-major complaint. I didn’t like having to enter the hotel through a smoke screen. Four or five people were sitting and smoking on the two benches on either side of the front door of the hotel. I’m guessing that either I arrived at shift change or the kids sneaked out of the prom for a Chesterfield.

Since there was absolutely nothing nearby, I ate dinner in the restaurant. After a nice meal I walked back to the elevator and went up to my floor. I noticed the halls had a slight musty smell, and I swear I could hear the crackle and pop of I Want to Hold Your Hand.

Not at all sleepless in Seattle

Seattle’s Space Needle is absolutely beautiful in the morning sun, and you can see it from your room if you are not staying in the Holiday Inn Dexter Avenue North in Seattle, Washington. My room had a view of the Pink Elephant Car Wash.

I thought it was very interesting that two Holiday Inn properties were right across the alley from one another, and the hotel planners made the lower end hotel the one with the view. Now, if you’ve read my previous posts you’ll know that I often stay in HI Express hotels, but if there is an acceptable full-service option I’ll usually choose it because of the convenience of the restaurant on site. That's how I made my decision this time.

The hotel was actually quite pleasant and had wonderful staff. It was a comfortable place to stay the 4 days I was in Seattle, and had concierge access and a nice little continental breakfast each day. There was a restaurant/bar connected to the property, not actually in the hotel. The bartenders were outstanding and seemed to enjoy talking about local color, including the famous homeless guy that had been “working” the pier area for over 20 years. There's nothing like stable employment.

If you’ve ever been to Seattle, you probably already know that parking anywhere in the city requires two things. 1) Patience 2) A bank loan. It was a bargain to park in the Holiday Inn’s underground garage for only $10.00 a night.

I enjoyed my trip to Seattle. The weather was perfect the entire time, and it was sheer joy to wake up and open the drapes each morning. The blue sky was glorious. The breeze was brisk. The air was clean, and so were the cars.

The Colonel would have approved

After checking out of the Austin Crowne Plaza, I hoped I'd find my luck improved at a different hotel. I checked into the Austin Town Lake Holiday Inn in Austin Texas, an interesting property with a round tower on the bank of Lady Bird Johnson Lake. I was offered a choice of an executive room or a room with a view of the lake. I decided on the room with a view, (mostly because it was on the side of the hotel away from the expressway) and I must admit the view was lovely at sunset. This hotel is an older property, but I can’t complain about it. It was quiet, clean, and comfortable.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I often choose to eat in the hotel bar when I’m on the road. It’s usually quicker, and more than likely has the same menu offered in the restaurant. It’s also a fun way to hear “traveler tales” from other road warriors who’ve had a little too much if you know what I mean. I’ve heard some wild stories, and while I’m sure that 98 percent of them are seriously embellished or completely fabricated, it certainly beats watching reruns of Desperate Housewives on TV. Plus, most bartenders are pretty good conversationalists which makes dinner time a little more interesting for those of us traveling alone. And I can get a pomegranate martini.

This time I ordered an appetizer - chicken strips. Down at the end of the bar were a couple of guys that had been talking to the bartender about being in town for a video game software developer’s conference. They looked like kids. Or maybe I just felt old? Anyway, when my plate arrived, I wondered if I had mistakenly ordered the Colonel’s family sized bucket of chicken with all the fixins. It was huge! I commented to the bartender that I thought I had been given the party platter, and said I’d be happy to share if anyone else at the bar would like some.

Video game software developers have good appetites.

No jewels in this Crowne

I should have picked up on the first clue.

After I checked in to the Crowne Plaza in Austin, Texas I went to the elevator and my key wouldn't work in the executive floor key reader on the elevator. I went back to the front desk and the clerk told me that the middle elevator was always a little weird, and I should use one of the other two. I pushed the button, and the middle elevator door opened. I pushed the button again. No other elevator responded. It was starting to remind me of a Twilight Zone episode I saw once. I finally took the service elevator. The service elevator magically stopped on every floor.

My room on the executive floor was the very last room at the end of the hall. I think it had previously been a closet.

I was actually stunned when I walked in the room. The ceiling was low. The room was almost entirely filled with the king-sized bed, which was actually pushed up to the wall. I don't know how the housekeepers were able to make it up. The nightstand was in the only possible location in the room and was about two feet from the bed. I tried to make the best of it, I really did. But I was supposed to stay three nights at this hotel. I decided it was going to be unacceptable when I realized I was going to have to get out of bed to turn off the lamp or turn off the alarm. The whole experience reminded me of the pictures in my childhood storybook of Alice in Wonderland. When Alice ate the cake she grew so large she had to bend over to stand up in the room. Weird stuff in that book.

I plugged in my laptop at the desk to use the free hotel internet. The signal was so low the internet was virtually nonexistent. I looked at other available wireless networks in the area, and discovered that the hotel next door had a pretty good connection.

I looked for another outlet to charge my blackberry and ended up having to charge it in the bathroom. My cell phone just had to wait its turn. I'm just glad I didn't have to wait in that line.

I decided to stay the night, then checked out the next morning and went to another hotel. If I wanted to stay in a rabbit hole I would've invited Alice.

Room with a view

The Holiday Inn Express in Wichita Falls Texas is a lovely, relatively new hotel on the outskirts of town. It was a bit challenging to find at first because of the highway construction. In order to get to it I had to drive through the gas station and around the Sonic Drive-In. After the first time finding my way in though it was no problem.

One side of the hotel overlooks a little man-made lake. I bet there is a nice view. I wouldn't know because I wasn't on that side of the hotel. I wonder what you have to do to get one of those rooms? I'm a Platinum priority member, I booked an executive suite - and I didn't get a room with a view. I got a room with a lovely view of the highway construction, complete with sound effects. But, the heavy machinery didn't bother me too much because the fan worked well in the room.

I also discovered that I wished I was better skilled at TV channel-surfing. The hotel had HD TV, but I couldn't find the HD channels. It turns out that I had to channel down on the remote control in order to find them. I never thought about channeling down from zero. It would have been nice to know that. Maybe the hotel could give a hint or two in their hotel guide. They could call it "Remote Control for Dummies."

Speaking of control... the toilet seat in the bathroom slid over when I sat down. Now I know that this isn't a big deal, but it was a little disconcerting.

Oh, and one last thing. This hotel had a surprising number of active military personnel staying there. Word must have spread that if you had to go TDY to the local air force base, it was a quality hotel with quiet rooms. And, I hope that the servicemen and women were warmly welcomed and given the very best rooms with a nice view of the lake.

All wired up and no place to go.

When I first started traveling, I hauled around a widescreen laptop that weighed around 152 pounds. I even bought a wheeled briefcase for it because I got so tired from hauling the darn thing through airports. Then I discovered the wonderful little HP notebook computer. What a brilliant invention. It weighs less than my purse.

Once I got this petite little laptop, I almost didn’t mind pulling it out to go through security. In fact, I remain a little proud of how smart I was to have made this purchase. I know I’m not alone. I think a lot of savvy travelers have purchased these handy little travel notebooks.

Handy unless you stay in the Intercontinental Hotel, in Dallas, Texas. But what a beautiful hotel! It exuded perfection. Décor, customer service - everything was wonderful. Well, the bed was a little hard, but I can live with that. It just makes me appreciate home a little more.

Just don’t try to use your little notebook say...across the room from the desk. Or while sitting in the comfortable easy chair. Or while in bed. Nope. You have to stay tethered to the desk with an Ethernet cord and a modem, which the hotel cheerfully provided. I thought it seemed a little cheerfully old-fashioned.

So there I was, all wireless in a wired world. What a dilemma I found myself in. The way I saw it, I had four choices:

1. Force myself to sit at the desk long enough to do some work and forget playing computer games for my evening entertainment.
   
2. Go cold turkey and just shut myself off from it for two days.
3. Use the wireless option the city of Addison offered, a weak connection but maybe adequate.
4. Make myself comfortable and/or tipsy in the lobby bar.
5. Sit in the hotel Starbucks and enjoy an grande iced caramel coconut amaretto chocolate macchiato with whipped cream.
   

My decision was all that, and had a cherry on top.

Three strikes and I'm out.

I just removed a hotel from "most favored" status. I can't believe this was the same hotel I stayed in before. Everything seemed to go wrong from the minute I checked into the Crowne Plaza Market Center in Dallas, Texas.

One: Room for improvement

I checked into the hotel, and went up to the 20th floor and used my key to open the door. When I opened it I heard the television blaring. Then I saw a disheveled bed in the room and I quickly backed out not really knowing what was happening in the room. I'm not sure I really wanted to know. It was extremely disconcerting. I took the elevator back down to the lobby and told the desk clerk what had happened. She was polite, said she was sorry and gave me a key to another room.

Back up the elevator I went - this time to the 21st floor. I went into the room and it was a room with two double beds. I always reserve a king sized bed because the room seems to have more space and for some reason I feel claustrophobic in rooms with two beds. Down the elevator I go for the second time.

Now I'm wondering if it's a full moon or something.

The clerk is now not quite as friendly, but still polite and tells me she has a king room on the 7th floor. I don't mind which floor it is as long as it is quiet. I take the key and go back to the elevator. This time the room is a king and is definitely unoccupied. Finally.

Two: I only have ice for you

By now it is fairly late in the evening, and I want a glass of ice water since I didn't get my traditional bottle of cold water at check in. The guest services book in the room said there was an ice machine located on each floor across from room something or other. I take the ice bucket and head down the hall. The ice machine was broken. I got on the now familiar elevator and went to the eighth floor. The ice machine was not working. Ninth floor. Not working. On the elevator I met a guy holding an ice bucket. Don't bother trying ten or eleven because those ice machines don't work either. I went back to my room and called the desk. The desk clerk said I had to go to the third floor.

Three: It's a no drainer

I usually stay in IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) properties. All of the Holiday Inns and HI Expresses have been undergoing renovations as a part of the re-branding of the chain. Many of the more upscale hotels in the chain have also been updated, and I think I heard that the Crowne Plaza Dallas had also undergone upgrades. One of the nifty things they did was add these classy looking sink stoppers to the sink in the vanity. But I discovered a problem when I washed my hands. There was no way to raise the sink stopper so the sink would drain. I looked everywhere. I thought maybe I needed to twist it or something to get it to stay up. Nope. I imagine the intent was for it to always be open, but this one was always closed. Each time I used it I had to put my hand through whatever I had just washed off in order to empty the sink. See the problem here? A person with OCD would have never left the bathroom.

That night before going to sleep, I made a reservation at another hotel. The phone worked.

The next morning I went to the front desk ready to check out. The friendly clerk asked about my stay, and I said unfortunately I was checking out instead of staying three nights as originally intended. She seemed genuinely concerned and called the manager. It turns out the manager was one of the wonderful employees I had encountered on my previous two experiences in the hotel. He was so nice and seemed genuinely sorry about my less than satisfactory experience. I told him I was really sorry too, and very disappointed. He comped my room. He also said he hoped I'd give them another chance sometime.

I might go back to the hotel some day. Everyone deserves a second chance, even after failing three chances on the same night.

Tissue on request

After spending the night at the Michael Phelps Suite at the last hotel, I checked into the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport, in Birmingham, Alabama. This was an older hotel, where the staff answers the phone with "Thank you for calling Birmingham's award-winning Holiday Inn."

When I stay in hotels I tend to look for things that will encourage me to book with them again, and if all else fails I look for the entertainment value of the overnight stay. This was a combination of the two. Like I said before, this is an older hotel which has obviously undergone recent renovations - and some of the improvements were definitely interesting.

For instance, the bathroom. This bathroom had two sinks. Not two sinks in the same vanity, but one sink outside the "water closet" and one inside the "water closet." (That means the room with the toilet for those of you needing a translation.) The first sink wasn't a wet bar, just a vanity. I found it rather strange, but I guess it would be kind of nice if you are the type of person that likes to spread out your stuff all over the place. The little bathroom had a very small vanity, the tub, and the toilet. It also had a really odd layout. There was only about an inch clearance between the door to the toilet. When it was time to "take care of business" I had to step in, move to the side, and then close the door. Leaving the door open was not an option without being skilled as a contortionist. It made me wonder how many people alone in a hotel room actually close the door when they gotta go?

I think there was a toilet tissue shortage in the hotel. My room didn't have any when I checked in, but they bought it to me immediately when I called the front desk. On my way to dinner I passed by a housekeeper delivering it to another room. Maybe it was service on request or something. I think it was a good thing that I noticed the lack of tissue before I closed the bathroom door. That could have been awkward.

I stayed on the second floor, which also happened to be the "housekeeping" floor. When I got off the elevator, it looked as if I'd accidentally pushed the button for the basement. The tile floor looked like a work space and in the mornings the the hallway was lined with housekeeping carts. It was kind of handy if you are the type that takes the little bottles of shampoo, but it created a traffic jam in the mornings as all the housekeepers and their assigned carts made their way toward the newly vacated rooms.

Probably my only "real" complaint was the location. While the hotel was convenient to the airport, it was a less than desirable location for everything else. I'm not sure I would have even ventured out after dark. The first night I had dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was quite average to say the least, and was way over-priced. The next night I found a restaurant before I went back to the hotel.

While I had a few issues with the hotel, I had nothing but kudos for the staff I encountered. They were wonderful. But I do think it would be nice if the hotel automatically offered Priority Club members complimentary toilet tissue along with a cocktail at check in.

Anyone for a swim?

The Holiday Inn Birmingham-Homewood, in Birmingham, Alabama is a beautiful new property on the south side of Birmingham. I was supposed to stay two nights but I checked out after one night and went to another Holiday Inn property.

I encountered something in this hotel that I've never encountered before. It was more humid inside the room than it was outside. If you've ever been to Alabama in the summer then you know this is an amazing statement. But it is not an exaggeration. The room was downright wet. It was bizarre.

My paperwork got limp. The sheets felt damp. When I took a shower the bathroom mirror didn't fog up because there was already so much moisture in the room. I didn't like it but I thought I could deal with it.

The final straw was when my my Cheez-Its got soggy. Nobody messes with my Cheez-Its.

Reflections on a Margarita #3

Living in a big city offers many interesting activities. One of the most interesting is getting stuck in a traffic jam.

Fortunately, I was given two very important pieces of advice when I moved to the big city:
1. Never leave home or work without a full tank of gas.
2. Never leave home or work without an empty bladder.

Advice well taken on more than one occasion.

Traffic jams offer an abundance of entertainment if instead of getting mad you use the opportunity to take it all in. For instance, last week I was in a whopper of a traffic jam when traveling to work via Alt 90 E. I used my extra hour and a half travel time to work to enjoy the other drivers equally late to work.

There is an automobile dealership in our area named Weidner. Of course a prankster is going to remove the "d." At 6:30 AM how can you fail to see the humor in following an SUV proudly labeled Wei ner?

One of my all time favorite stuck-in-traffic moments was the opportunity to see a maroon PT Cruiser. Now, PT Cruisers make me laugh anyway because they remind me of Keystone Cops. And it seems to me that most of the unsold new Cruisers were sent to car rental companies because some CEO somewhere had a few too many and decided it would be funny to put a visitor in a strange city in a strange car offering the most restricted view possible.

I followed this particular PT Cruiser for some time. It was painted with a sign on the back that advertised Mobile Tattoo Artist and Notary Public. I wrote down the phone number. You just never know when you might need to prove that you weren't drunk when you got that new artwork on your leg.

A rose by any other name...

I learned a lot when I went to Tyler, Texas. I already knew the city was considered the "Rose Capital of the Nation." Tyler Roses are magnificent - no doubt about it. But did you know that they have an even bigger claim to fame? Oh yes. They do. You see, Tyler was the very first city in the world to adopt a section of the highway in the Adopt a Highway Program. Now that is a claim to fame.

I also learned that less than satisfactory hotel experiences almost always ride on the heels of a really great hotel experience. I wonder why that is? I gave this serious thought over a margarita, and have decided that it isn't just a matter of perception. It really happens.

My latest adventure into this really weird phenomenon occurred when I checked into the Holiday Inn South Broadway in Tyler, Texas. I stopped by between meetings to see if maybe I could check in a little early. I was told my room wasn't ready. OK, no problem - I'll be back later. I went back several hours later to check in and was told my room wasn't ready. Hmmm. No apology, no thank you for your patience, no thank you for your patronage, in fact, no thank you for anything.

So anyway, now the desk clerk gets on her walkie-talkie and loudly announces the room number to the person on the other end to ask if the room is clean. It was and had been since the morning, but now the whole hotel knows my room number which is generally a no-no for a single female traveling alone, but since the lobby wasn't a beehive of activity I figured it would probably be a non-issue. I hoped.

This hotel's website advertises two executive floors with a club floor lounge. I was not put on either of the executive floors. No upgrade here, at least not when I checked in. I asked if I could have access to the club level, since I was allowed access as a Platinum member even if I was not upgraded. Then I asked if the hotel was full, or if it was policy not to upgrade Platinum members. The desk clerk told me she didn't know what was going on because she just got there. Hmmm again. The clerk said the hotel wasn't full, and asked if I wanted an upgrade. I said that I almost always get an upgrade without asking and didn't really care if I was staying on the club floor if I could have access to the lounge. You can't have access to the lounge without a key and you can't have a key to that floor if you aren't staying on that floor. So I got an upgrade.

My upgraded room was actually just a regular room on a key-access floor. But wow did they make me feel important when I saw that I had a power strip in the room since there was only one open outlet at the desk.

When on the road I don't ask for much. I want my hotel room to be clean, quiet, and secure. Oh, and I like to have a telephone in my room that doesn't have a perpetual flashing light. The message light was blinking every time I went into the room. Room service told me they had a new system. They manually turned it off each time I called. And I didn't even need the blinking phone to provide a wake-up call, because each morning at about 6:00 AM a loud crash - so loud it shook the balcony rails - woke me up. On my way out I stopped by the front desk to ask what it was. The desk clerk told me she didn't know what was going on because she just got there.

Finally, the internet was down almost the entire stay. I didn't even bother to ask the desk clerk about it. I figured she wouldn't know anyway. She just got there.

Shamu, margaritas, and Christmas lights

SeaWorld at San Antonio on a Saturday in August is not for the fainthearted. We learned this the hard way when we went on a mini-vacation recently. Trust me on this one, go any other time than this. But if you don't believe me and go anyway, you might want to consider staying at the Holiday Inn Express Seaworld in San Antonio, Texas.

We used a couple of Holiday Inn reward nights for this trip, and were pleasantly surprised. It was nothing fancy, had no priority perks, and had standard but well-prepared HI Express breakfasts. But it had wonderful customer service - well, that is if you don't count the welcome letter I was given at check in. The letter welcomed me as a valued Platinum guest, and addressed me by name. They got my name wrong, and used a masculine form of my name at that. But they meant well I'm sure.

We were very impressed with the young man that checked us in. When we asked him for a recommendation for a good non-chain Mexican restaurant, he sent us to a Cha-Chas, a local restaurant just down the street from the hotel. It had incredible service, wonderful margaritas, excellent food, and Christmas lights at the bar. It doesn't get much better than that.

When we got back to the hotel after a very long day at Seaworld we were looking for a cup of coffee. Usually HI Expresses have coffee in the lobby, but the hotel was full and they had run out. We already knew we didn't have any in our room, so we were standing there lamenting the empty urns when a man came up and told us if we'd wait a few minutes he'd brew up a pot for us. It turns out he was the night security guard. We decided he deserved a raise.

All in all, it was a whale of a good stay.

Reflections on a Margarita #2

Today's topic is airplane etiquette.

I've had a cowboy go to sleep on my shoulder, ignored babies crying, listened to people arguing politics, endured the story of more than one stranger's life, been sandwiched between two very large people, and had a beverage dumped on me. I've held my breath when a passenger had to share with us his over-spiced dinner, listened to lavatory sounds, and been hit on the head by fellow passenger's carry on luggage. Once, my foot was stomped on so hard it was bruised for life.

These are a few of the things all air travelers experience on a regular basis.

But nothing has been as annoying as the guy seated two seats over on my last flight. We had an empty seat between us, a very unusual thing on flights these days. I figured it was because it was a late evening flight. Anyway, as soon as we were seated on the plane until we arrived an hour and a half later, this guy shook his foot. You know the kind of foot shaking I'm referring to. We've all seen it. I'm sure it's a nervous habit. But did you know that kind of foot shaking shakes the whole row of seats on the plane? I'm convinced it even shook the entire plane. I have never been susceptible to any type of motion sickness, but I actually started getting a little queasy from the back and forth motion. And it never stopped! I could feel it through the entire flight. I wanted to throw my bag of peanuts at him, but I didn't.

I just added him to my list of things that happen on an airplane.

Ready? Set?.....go figure!

I arrived at the Crowne Plaza in Little Rock, Arkansas fairly late in the evening. It would have been nice to have had my priority check-in ready to go when I got there, but it wasn't. The desk clerk gave me my keys and said thank you. I had to ask where to go to get to the room. I asked if I was on the executive floor and she said yes. Since she didn't offer any other information I decided that I was on my own.

The executive level "club" floor of the Crowne Plaza Little Rock is key access only. My room was spacious, nicely decorated, comfortable - and right next door to the ice machine. So here is a bit of advice to anyone staying in room 507 of this hotel...make sure you have earplugs. Fortunately, Crowne Plaza Hotels usually provide these in a little amenities bag on the bed when you check in. Earplugs are in there along with an eye mask, and linen spray. I never use the spray. Or the eye mask. But the earplugs come in very handy when people decide they need ice at 2:00 in the morning.

The executive floor had a concierge lounge with complimentary breakfast, evening appetizers, and children. Children everywhere. Now, one of the things I like about executive floors is the fact that the concierge lounge offers a quiet area to snack and unwind at the end of a long day. Not so when the executive floor is filled with children. I finished my nice appetizers and went to my room.

I stayed in this hotel on a business trip, so my stay was during a work week. Apparently the executive floor of this hotel isn't a "quiet" floor catering to business travelers. It was more like a race track in a daycare center. I listened to children running track and field time trials as they raced up and down the hall. When they weren't running they were knocking on doors and slamming them once they were let in. Well, they were slamming them when room service wasn't delivering, which was every thirty minutes or so. This went on well into the night. Somewhere around 2:00 in the morning I arrived at the conclusion that the parents couldn't stop them because they were busy filling their ice buckets.

The second night of my stay, (more accurately the second morning) I received a phone call at 5:08 AM. I picked up the receiver and the guy at the other end of the phone asked if I had received my earlier wake-up call. I said I had not, but then I hadn't actually requested one either. The guy said "Oh, I guess I read the number wrong. I apologize." But he didn't sound very sorry. I was sorry, because he woke me up out of a no-children-no-ice machine sound sleep.

Crowne Plazas take their wake-up call service very seriously. In fact it's guaranteed that you'll be awakened as requested. Hence the call to make sure I'd received the call. But I didn't want either call at 5:00 in the morning. I wonder if they have some sort of guarantee that they'll call the right room?

I ate dinner one night in the hotel lobby bar, Rocks. They had a live artist who played guitar and had a lovely voice that reminded me a bit of Dan Fogelberg. He played to a group of people that basically ignored him like they would elevator music. And, he had the background accompaniment of the kids screaming and laughing in the lobby's indoor pool. But I clapped and said thank you. He seemed a little surprised that anyone was actually listening. I've played to audiences of 6 people, too. I sensed a psychic bond between under-appreciated performers. Just then, the waitress, a 20-something sweet young thing stopped by and asked "Can I get you anything else sweetie?" Suddenly I felt like I was the little blue-haired lady on the front row at a Sunday afternoon matinee.

I love a parade.

My GPS didn't know that the Crowne Plaza San Antonio Airport was here. But it was there in San Antonio, Texas. It was a bit of a challenge to navigate because of the construction on Loop 410, but after I arrived I decided it was worth the effort. What a lovely hotel.

My room was on the "key access only" concierge floor, but it did have its share of weirdness. When I got off the elevator I couldn't help but notice that the entire hall was lined with mini-fridges. It looked like a refrigerator convention. I almost expected to see them pull out their little fezzes and head to the bar.

The room was spacious and comfortable, and had very nice "extra" amenities. But the oddities continued once I got inside. The faucet in the bathroom was hooked up backwards - hot was cold and cold was hot. Now one nice feature in most Crowne Plazas is the nifty little "chip clip" they give you for the curtains to shut out street light. It works. But in this room, I needed some kind of device to cover up the electric blue light on the air conditioner wall control. It was so bright that it would catch my eye in the night if I happened to wake up enough to roll over. It was very annoying. I actually went and bought tape to put paper over it for my second night. The room was awfully warm, too. I turned down the electric blue thermostat, but I think the hotel had set it at a range of temps, so no matter how I set it it would be what they wanted me to have. So much for choice.

There was a concierge lounge with complimentary cocktails and snacks, and it was substantial enough that I ate dinner there my first night. I also enjoyed the full breakfasts. It was nice to have servers that were exceptionally attentive and pleasant. All in all I really enjoyed my stay in this hotel. In spite of its idiosyncrasies it was enough to make me want to grab my fez and join the parade.

The top news story on TV in San Antonio was about a guy that died when he fell into a vat of chocolate. How sad. Death by chocolate. And we thought it was only a description of dessert at the local steakhouse.

The last morning when I left my room the refrigerators were gone. I guess they caught an earlier flight than me.

Can't you show a little excitement?

The plane was half full. The pilot walked into the aisle and said "Good news folks, we're taking off a little early and getting you there early!" Three people clapped. The pilot said "I know it's Midland, but hey can't you at least act excited?" We arrived 10 minutes early. Nice. It made me want to clap - especially since my morning flight had been canceled. I was just glad to have arrived at all.

This trip was a "freebie" since it was not a business trip, but for pleasure. (Yes, really. We went to see Summer Mummers, a wonderful Midland event.) Anyway, we used one of my free nights, and stayed in the Holiday Inn Express in Midland,Texas. It was a great stay. No complaints at all. We were recognized immediately as priority members and given nice little gift bags with all the necessities - trail mix, chips, cookies and bottled water. Believe me... in Midland you really appreciate the bottled water.

The only thing I can really comment on was the alarm clock. But you know, I didn't even attempt to set it as I always use my Blackberry for an alarm when I travel. But since my husband was with me he was determined to figure it out. I tell you what. I think I'll let you read his story for yourself.


UPDATE: The month after I stayed in this hotel I was matching my credit card receipts against my statement and came across a very odd thing. Two days after checking out I was billed on our credit card for our stay at the highest nightly rate, $170.00. Since we used a reward night I shouldn't have been billed for anything. I called the hotel, and the person I spoke with asked if I had charged anything to the room. I said no we hadn't, but in the back of my mind I was wondering who in the world could charge anything worth that much money at a Holiday Inn Express?! Anyway, I was told the manager was in a meeting and would call me back. After 2 days and making 3 more calls to the hotel (I never was able to speak with the manager) the last person I spoke with said "Oh they took care of it and credited your credit card." I said I was glad to hear it but it would have been nice to have been informed of the action. I asked for a copy of the credit and gave them my email address. The next day I received an email from the manager. It said "Here is your requested receipt. Please let us know if we can do anything else to assist you." There was no apology for the mistake or even a thank you for your patience. I can't believe the manager didn't even take the time to call me. I'm sad to think this lovely stay was marred by an error like this. But mostly I'm really glad I always check my credit card statements!

Off by a minute?

Crowne Plazas get it. In fact, I don’t know that I’ve ever stayed in one that missed the mark. The Crowne Plaza Hotel Dallas-Market Center in Dallas, Texas was no exception. They treated me like I was the most important person to walk in their door. Now, there were no platinum perks other than a bottle of cold water at check in, but I can live with that if the other aspects of the hotel are quality - and this was a class act hotel.

I was on the 20th floor, which I was told was the “priority” floor. It was quite spacious and had a nice view of the sunset each evening. I was a little concerned when I first went into the room because the room faced the freeway, but the room was surprisingly quiet.

I learned that this hotel is regularly used as a place where new military recruits arrive for an introduction prior to shipping them off. I guess they like to send them off in style. I think it’s kind of a nice touch. Anyway, I was told that because of the crowds in the restaurant the service might be quicker at the bar, so I took that to heart. I had a wonderful dinner at the bar both nights and the bartenders were great.

They always leave a room service breakfast menu on the bed. You know - the one you are supposed to leave on the door at night. I laughed when I looked at it. It said that in order to receive breakfast you had to leave the request out by 3:01 AM. What happens if you leave it out at 3:02?

Probably the most interesting thing that happened was the express checkout ticket they slipped under my door the first night. I was staying two nights, so I knew it was a mistake. Oh what a mistake. The ticket was for Mr. So-and-so, and it had a rather large bar tab signed on the room. In the address section in very large print it noted “Please don’t send any mail.”

I bet there’s a story there…

Frankly my dear, they sort of give a damn

Fort Worth North-Fossil Creek in Ft. Worth, Texas is a property next to a really big post office processing center. Its location right off the interstate makes it a bit of a challenge to leave the hotel because it requires a left turn on a busy street, but I solved this by turning right and driving down to the Liq-o-Rama parking lot a block or so down. Liq-o-Rama. It still makes me laugh as I type the name. Liq-o-Rama. OK. So it's been one of those weeks...

Now where was I? Oh, I was reviewing the hotel. Check in was smooth and the clerk at the front desk was pleasant and efficient. I was recognized as a platinum member immediately and my keys were ready and waiting. I was not offered an upgrade or any platinum perks other than a silver gift bag with potato chips, a bottle of water, and a (large) 3 Musketeers candy bar. It reminded me of breakfast when I was in college. Nothing wrong with that.

This hotel was either relatively new or recently remodeled and was in pretty decent shape. My room was a little too small for me, but like I said I wasn't upgraded. Maybe I'm just spoiled. The bed was comfortable though, and the room had plenty of electrical outlets.

One interesting feature was the little electronic "privacy/clean this room" switch on the wall. It lights up a little sign on the outside of your room. I've never seen that before. That means no one can steal your do not disturb sign off the door. I liked it.

I had a couple of issues. For one thing, the shampoo had been used. Now I know it was just soap, but it begged the question... What else was used? I figure the housekeeper didn't see it because the light was dim in the bathroom even if you turned on all three lights. There were three light switches in the bathroom, and none of the lights were heat lamps - just three lights.

I don't think the floor had been vacuumed. It didn't look like it. I was looking for a phone book and opened the nightstand drawer. In the drawer with the phone book was trash... including a used tissue. Gross.

The sound on all the TVs in the hotel was just weird. Some stations were really loud, some were nearly silent, and all of them were completely distorted when turned to NBC. It was extremely annoying. The desk guy told me they were trying to work it out with Direct TV. Later I learned (from a different hotel employee) that the hotel probably just didn't want to pay to get it fixed. But, since the batteries in the remote were dead it didn't make any difference anyway.

Not able to watch TV, I decided to go use the treadmill in the exercise room. The communal TV was turned to NBC.

There was no fan in the exercise room, and it was very hot. I'm not sure why they didn't have the air conditioner turned down as in most hotels. After 30 minutes on the treadmill I was glad to see a water cooler in the corner. I grabbed a cup, and the cooler was empty. That's the kind of experience that makes one want to go hang out at the hotel bar.

I went back to my room. The most interesting feature of the room was a larger-than-life picture of Rhett and Scarlett in a passionate embrace. It was totally out of character and in fact looked as if someone left their souvenir poster. But I liked it. Gone With the Wind is one of my all time favorite movies. It inspired me. "With God as my witness... I'll never go hungry again."

Especially since I had that big ol' candy bar.

If only they could all be like this

Near hotel perfection awaited me at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. From the moment I walked in the door until I walked out it was an outstanding experience. Check in was smooth, and I was recognized immediately as a priority member. I received a personalized envelope which had enclosed a thank you and a coupon for a complimentary drink and a full breakfast in the restaurant. I wasn't sure if I would use them though, because I was upgraded to a room on the the "key access only" executive club floor. One of the perks of the executive floor is a complimentary happy hour with appetizers, and complimentary continental breakfast. Ah, decisions decisions.

The room itself was great. When I arrived in the room waiting on the bed was a little gift bag with lavender linen spray, ear plugs, and an eye mask. I got the feeling that they really wanted guests to have a very restful night. I didn't need any help though, because the bed was comfortable and the room was quiet. I almost didn't need the fan, but left it on anyway. I slept very well.

There was a spacious desk and a plush lounge chair with an ottoman. Perfect for watching the large flat screen HD TV. Nice.

Sometimes I find myself wondering if my unpleasant hotel experiences cloud my judgment. After the previous experience did this one just seem better because the plumbing worked? Did I just imagine the softness of the bed? Was it really that terrific?

It was really that terrific.

You have to have a sense of humor

The Holiday Inn Express in Macon, Georgia was interesting. There was no fluff or warm fuzzies when I checked in, and no acknowledgment as a priority member at check in other than having my keys ready.

But they had little bags of popcorn on the counter for the guests, so I figured they had a little culture.

This was an older property, and was the old style of the hotel chain. It was very different in that the decor in the hallways was deep blue, yellow, and sage green. I was surprised when I first saw it, but it actually had a nice feel to it.

When I entered the room, sitting on the table was a laminated card that welcomed me as a platinum priority member, a bottle of water, and a small package of Famous Amos cookies. I did not receive an upgrade, and was given a room with two double beds. I don't have a problem with double beds, but these were hard beds. They did try to disguise them with a pillow top, but it only helped a little. The room was small and felt very cramped. I had to fight past my clothes and out the door, because the space for hanging up clothes was right next to the front door. There were no electric outlets that were not in use so I had to charge my phone in the bathroom.

I've mentioned before that in hotels I need to have a fan running constantly to keep outside noise from waking me up. This hotels window unit cycled on and off all night, and so did my sleep - even with ear plugs. I think I'm going to invest in one of those small white noise machines so I can listen to crashing waves or whale songs instead.

The cabinet with the fridge and microwave was placed in a location that only left about two feet clearance to get by to the bathroom. But, since the toilet only flushed every other time and the bathtub wouldn't drain, I wasn't particularly inclined to spend much time in there anyway.

Holiday Inn Express breakfasts are legendary. You may remember that the hotel chain even featured them in an advertising campaign at one time. The food is always the same everywhere, so in theory there should be no surprises. Well, this one was a surprise from start to finish. Oh, the product was the same, but the preparation was virtually non-existent. I started out trying the omelet. I'm not sure if it was even heated up, because the slice of cheese in the middle was cold. So I tossed it and thought I'd have biscuits and gravy instead. I couldn't open the biscuit because it was rock-hard. Now, this happened to be the one day I really needed something for breakfast because I was going to miss lunch due to my meeting schedule. I was determined to find something. I got a bowl of cereal, and the cereal was stale. I moved on to my last resort: Holiday Inn Express has a trademarked hot cinnamon roll. While I know they are quite tasty, I don't usually get them because I have tried to reduce my intake of sugar carbs. I placed a cinnamon roll on a plate and went back to my table. Anticipating the forbidden carbs, I anxiously took a bite. It was cold.

I took my coffee back to the room and ate a few Famous Amos cookies.

But I have saved my favorite feature for the last. When I opened the curtains to let in the morning sun, I discovered I had a corner room with a view... of the dumpsters and the roof of the neighboring Motel 6.

Now that's class.

A whole new world

I have a confession to make. After my last hotel experience in Columbus,Georgia I was a little nervous booking a trip there again. But after I thought about it - and, being the open minded person that I am - I decided not to book the Holiday Inn Columbus North I-85.

I booked the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites at Northlake (also in Columbus) instead. This was a good decision. I was warmly welcomed at the front desk by a friendly employee, immediately acknowledged as a repeat guest, and my priority check-in was ready and waiting. Less than five minutes after arriving, I was on my way to my room. I was upgraded to a spacious and comfortable suite and waiting for me on the table were bottled water and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Very nice.

For dinner I decided to try out the Texas Roadhouse Restaurant next door because it was, well... next door. On my way to dinner I stopped by the front desk because I was looking for a pencil sharpener (can't do Sudoku with a pen, you see) but they didn't have one. The nice desk lady was very apologetic. I told her it really was okay. She gave me a coupon for a free appetizer at the Roadhouse.

It was happy hour at the Texas Roadhouse. Margaritas were $1.50. I think a person could get very happy on six bucks. I had an excellent steak dinner, but could've made an entire meal out of salad (with their homemade house vinaigrette dressing) and rolls.

By the time I got back to the room I'd forgotten all about my Sudoku. I guess I didn't need that pencil sharpener after all.

Out In the West Texas town of El Paso

I didn't fall in love with the El Paso Airport Holiday Inn. I chose this hotel mainly because of its proximity to the airport in El Paso, Texas. I do that a lot because its just easier most of the time. This time it wasn't such a good thing.

First impressions.
Let's start at the first trip to the hotel desk. Just off the plane, I decided to see if I could check in a little early - usually this works since I'm a Platinum Priority Member. Plus, I'd made my reservation over a month before. When I arrived at the hotel the (pleasant) desk girl told me they didn't have a room yet. OK. No problem. I know I'm early so I'll come back later - I just hoped I'd get lucky before my appointment. Oh, and she said I couldn't have an executive room because they were full. Hmm. So, I went to my appointment, and came back after the regular check-in time. Now the desk girl (a different one from the first) said they only had one room available in the "front" section with a sofa bed. What did that mean I asked? She said it has a sofa in the room. "A suite?" I asked. "No, only a sofa" she said. "You mean I have to sleep on a sofa?" "No," she said - "it has a bed." I decided we didn't speak the same language, said ok and took the key. I went to the assigned room and discovered that it was an outside room with a door that opened to a high traffic area. (I somehow wasn't expecting a cheap motel.) Anyway, I went back to the desk and explained that as a single female traveler I preferred a room opening into an inside hallway. Did they have any inside? She said yes, but they were in the back section. What? She directed me to an out-building behind the main hotel. Fine. Will I still have access to the concierge lounge? "Of course," she said.

The room.
So off I went to the Back 40 to find my room. Opening the door, I flipped on the light switch only to find that it was not connected to any light. No, really. I tried them all. It was pretty easy to do since there were only two lights in the entire room, and no entryway light either. I turned on the bathroom light to see if it would help, and only one of the three fluorescent bulbs worked. Now I'm thinking I'll have to go sit in the car the next morning to put on my makeup because the room is so dark. No reading in bed either because the light didn't reach that far. I couldn't use my laptop because the battery was low and there were no plugs in the room. Well, there was one plug on the desk, but it was too far away and I was recharging my cell phone with it. The room itself was in general disrepair. For instance, the air conditioner had one speed and temperature. The wall had been poorly patched. The ceiling had been filled in with so many layers of texture that I was afraid it would fall in on me if it was bumped.

But there was a sofa in the room.

Wining and dining.
Before I went to the room to settle in for the night I went to the concierge room to have a glass of wine. I went up to the bar and the cute young thing asked me my name. I told her and she said she was sorry but I wasn't on her list. I told her I wasn't surprised because they didn't have a room for me, but I was eligible for the concierge. After a little more discussion she wrote my name on her list and gave me a glass of wine. She was quite friendly and understood proper customer service. After a glass of wine I decided to try the hotel restaurant. The restaurant was actually very good - no complaints there. The restaurant was nearly empty though, so I don't know how it would have been if it had been busy.

The final straw.
I was supposed to stay two nights in this hotel. It was a little thing that pushed me over the edge. The next morning I lifted the lid on the coffee maker to pour in the water, but the hinge was broken and the whole lid came off and fell on the floor. That was it. The irritation of it all just got to me. I called a different hotel, made a reservation and checked out.

What a difference a few miles can make.
About 20 miles away I found the El Paso Sunland Holiday Inn. Nothing but kudos to this hotel. The staff was outstanding, the room (I got a complimentary upgrade because of the Platinum status) was wonderful. They put me in a bi-level jacuzzi suite. The downstairs has a large sitting area and a jacuzzi, and upstairs has a king-sized pillow top bed and a huge shower. The only (minor) negatives I can offer here is that the room has an outside corridor entrance and it is upstairs with no elevator. But, the room is on the second floor, has a great security latch and is well worth the climb. I was told that the hotel has been recently renovated, so I imagine the regular rooms are also very nice.

After a margarita and a 45 minute soak in the jacuzzi... I have decided that life on the road isn't too bad sometimes.

The Midnight Express

I liked Albuquerque, and I liked the Albuquerque Midtown Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites on Menaul Boulevard. I had appointments all over the city, so location wasn't an issue. I picked this hotel completely at random off the list of hotels on the website. As it turns out, I made a good choice. Due to a delayed flight, I arrived at the hotel at midnight rather than the anticipated 7:30 pm. The desk clerk was a wonderful young man who immediately acknowledged me as a Priority Member, and had my room keys ready and waiting for an express check in. He offered me a "goody bag" with bottled water and a snack. The snack came in very handy as I had missed dinner because of the airport delays. I was upgraded to a suite, and the room was quite spacious with a nice executive workspace. The only real downside to the room was the bed. It was an extra firm mattress with no nice comfortable pillow top. Most hotels nowadays have pillow top mattresses, so I missed that.

I was key-challenged at this hotel. The key reader for my room was quirky. If you put the key card in too slow it didn't work. If you put it in too fast it didn't work. After two replacement keys, they sent me with the maintenance guy to see if he could help and he showed me the "slow slide while pushing up" method. A little weird, but I didn't have any more problems after that.

You just gotta love the complimentary breakfasts at the HI Express. (If for no other reason, they provide excellent people-watching opportunities.) While the choices are the same at all properties, the quality can be questionable. This breakfast bar was well stocked, fresh, and had a very pleasant and attentive hostess.

The next time business takes me to Albuquerque, I would definitely consider this hotel again... especially if I want to work out the kinks in my back from sleeping on all those soft pillow top mattresses at the other properties.

It was all about the oysters

I spent five days at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, Louisiana. I stayed in this particular hotel because it was associated with a conference I was attending. For the price I paid per night, I expected it to be a spectacular hotel and a room with a view. The hotel was very nice, and the room did have a view looking out over the traffic circle in front of the hotel toward Harrah’s Casino. It was kind of pretty at night, but the room itself was nothing special. I think I was in a section of the hotel that was an older part, because my colleagues were in a different area and were thrilled with their accommodations. (I was actually a little under-whelmed after reading the hotel website’s description.) The room was spacious, comfortable, and clean, so no complaints there. Parking was $30.00 a night for self-park and $36.00 for valet. I think that’s too high, but it was New Orleans after all and the parking garage was protected. Probably a good thing.

I ate several times in Drago’s Seafood Restaurant. Everything about this restaurant was absolutely wonderful. Even though it was always crowded, the service was outstanding and the food was amazing. It was worth the price of the trip just to have Drago’s signature dish: Charbroiled Oysters.

I did have an issue with the front desk. I found it fascinating that after I’d stayed two nights in the hotel that the desk clerk called me to tell me I hadn’t given them a credit card to pay for the room. “Uh, excuse me? You wouldn’t let me check in without giving you a card.” “Well,” she said, “we don’t have one on file.” So I asked her what she did with it. She said nothing - since I never gave it to them. (I’d had a very long day by this point.) I asked if the hotel was in the habit of allowing people to stay without first presenting a confirmed method of payment. She said “of course not.” I said “I’ve been in this room for two days, and you don’t know how I’m paying for it?” Like I said, I was really tired and didn’t really appreciate the problem that was not of my making. Besides, I was a little worried wondering just who had taken my credit card when I checked in. Somebody had that number.

Now I think I’ll backtrack a bit and fill you in on the reason I was so tired. I checked in the hotel on a Friday night. Apparently it was a designated party weekend at the Hilton, because the hallways were filled with people yelling, laughing, and slamming doors throughout the night on both Friday and Saturday nights. When I didn’t hear noise in the hallway (usually slowing a bit by around 3:30 a.m. or so,) I found myself listening to the couple in the next room. They were having serious domestic arguments complete with expletives that bounced around my room before landing. I realize this was not the fault of the Hilton, but considering the price of this hotel I somehow didn’t expect the clientele to be so... interesting.

Five days in New Orleans was too long, even with a nice hotel.

Live from our studio in beautiful downtown Burbank

So what can I say about the Holiday Inn Burbank-Media Center in Burbank, California? It is basically a "cookie-cutter" Holiday Inn. Nothing stands out, but nothing really to complain about either. It's too bad I wasn't upgraded, though. I'd like to see the Executive Towers.

There's a Hostage Negotiators Conference in this hotel. I'd be willing to bet all the bad guys in California are somewhere else.

Buck Owens would be proud

The only thing I knew about Bakersfield, California was that it was Buck Owens hometown. I stayed two nights at the brand new Bakersfield North Holiday Inn.

It was a beautiful drive through the mountains to Bakersfield. Good thing I went when I did, because I heard on the news that about an hour after I arrived a chemical truck crashed and leaked out noxious fumes. It closed down the entire highway for three hours. That would've been unpleasant I think.

Pleased that I wasn't stuck on the closed highway, I made my way to a steak restaurant a block or so away from the hotel. It turned out to be crowded so the hostess said I could be seated immediately if I wanted to sit in the bar, and that the same menu was available. As it turns out, it was happy-hour and all the appetizers were half-priced along with the drinks. OK. That worked for me.

Everything in the hotel was great, and the "newness' of the hotel was refreshing. The delightful young man at the front desk was text-booked trained and went out of his way to make sure I had everything I needed. I really liked the updated look and style of the lobby as well as the entire hotel.

The room was great and had a wonderful king-sized pillow top bed. They had actually correctly labeled the softness level of the pillows. The room even had that "new" and very fresh smell.

I had breakfast in the restaurant. It was excellent. The chef even came out to check and see if I was pleased. Each booth had a remote-controlled flat screen TV mounted on the wall. I noticed that diners all over the restaurant were channel surfing, keeping their channel preferences to themselves. It was nice not to have to listen to Kathy Lee Gifford sharing personal details about her life on a communal TV. I started off my morning with Spongebob. It would have been fun to hear the conversation of the elderly people at the table looking toward my booth.

It's probably not very often that they see a woman in a business suit laughing at Mr. Krab.

Reflections on a Margarita #1

I’m in San Antonio right now. One of the perks of my job is having the opportunity to try many wonderful restaurants around the country. But sometimes I just want to get take-out fast food and relax in the hotel room. So, tonight I went to Taco Cabana for a salad. I noticed that I got a 10% discount when I signed the receipt, but didn’t look at the ticket very closely. A few minutes ago I pulled out the receipt to put in my travel folder and noticed what the discount was for. The cute young thing behind the counter automatically gave me the senior citizen’s discount! At least she didn't ask me if I wanted a side order of wrinkles with my salad.

I guess this means I have finally arrived. Sigh.

Columbus never discovered this

I have stayed in a lot of Holiday Inns in the past, and the Holiday Inn Columbus North I-85 in Columbus, Georgia was by far the worst property I have ever stayed in.

I understand that construction and improvements are necessary to maintain a hotel, and I’ve stayed in numerous hotels in the middle of a remodeling process. However, this hotel appears to have made little (if any) effort to reduce the impact for guests.

While the lobby area was fairly nice, there were large piles of construction debris around the entire hotel. The side entrance closest to my room had a mountain of debris (read trash here) that made it impossible to enter without climbing through it and collecting dirt on shoes, clothing, and luggage. There was no way into the building that one could avoid tracking dust and dirt into the hotel hallways, or back into the car. The access ramp leading to the door was covered with construction materials, and the only way I could get my rolling luggage to the door was to lift it up and over the curb – stepping through the pile instead of next to it. But I felt oh-so-much better when I saw the tattered sign placed inside the door that said “pardon our dust.”

I went into my assigned room. I couldn’t believe this was a Holiday Inn property.

The guest room sliding glass doors opened to the debris filled parking lot. The doors didn’t close tightly and had a gap large enough to let in a cold breeze. The room smelled musty or like an animal had been in it, and the mini-fridge was sitting on the floor in the entryway to the room with the cord stretched out along the wall to reach the room’s only outlet. Lamp shades were askew and the sofa cushions didn’t match the sofa. The bathtub stopper was broken, and in order to take a shower the stopper (very nasty) had to be pulled out of the drain and set aside or the water wouldn’t drain.

I am a female business traveler and I never felt safe in this room. As I look back on this experience, I can’t believe I stayed. But I did, and I survived to tell the tale.

And, in the midst all the negatives, there is one positive note. The desk staff I encountered were pleasant and professional. It is my opinion that they should be commended for maintaining professionalism in a hostile environment. Either that - or they should be awarded Purple Hearts.

Georgia on my mind

I always have mixed emotions when I know I'm going to Atlanta, Georgia. I enjoy the city but hate the traffic, so when selecting a hotel in Atlanta my primary criteria is location. This particular trip took me to the Atlanta Buckhead district, so I decided to stay two nights in the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta. This was a good choice for a really great hotel. The hotel is gorgeous. I had a standard king-sized room (no upgrade here, but none was expected). The generous sized room was absolutely beautiful with upscale decor, had a nice assortment of bathroom amenities, and offered an extremely comfortable bed.

But even diamonds can have flaws. For instance, don't expect any old-fashioned-southern-down-home-friendly hospitality. The front desk was all business and efficiency when I checked in. I was the only person at the desk at the time, and there was no chit-chat and only an obligatory smile.

Many times when staying in a hotel I choose to eat in the hotel lounge instead of the restaurant since they usually have a variety of appetizers that are meal-sized. Sometimes they even offer a full menu. There's really no reason to go to a restaurant if I'm not really in the mood for a large dinner. This being the case, I went to the hotel's lounge only to be told by the bartender (the only one on duty) that if I ordered there I would have to wait for an hour or more to receive the meal. Now this was not an empty hotel lounge as many often are - this was a busy lounge, and a very busy hotel. The lack of employees in the lounge seemed an oversight to me. Not really wanting to wait over an hour, I went to the restaurant. The fine dining restaurant was full service and open all night. My meal was excellent and served quickly.

Sensitive readers be advised that the following may be considered a rant.

Now, before I make my next comments I need to put something into perspective. This was not a cheap hotel. In fact, it was almost too pricey for my business travel. So, I have to ask this question: when you pay that much for a hotel, why do they charge an additional $20.00 a day for self parking? $20.00 a day?! (Valet parking was $30.00.) It's not as if the parking spaces were at a premium as the large underground garage was relatively empty. And charging for the internet is also a mystery to me. If McDonald's and Starbucks can offer free WiFi, you'd think that expensive hotels would consider their customers important enough to offer complimentary access. But I have discovered that the more expensive hotels usually charge for the internet as if their access is somehow better than the less expensive hotels. I think this is a problem that should be addressed in the industry as a whole.