trip report

Photo Review Holiday Inn Express Austin Airport Texas

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Short one night stay at the HIX at Austin Airport. Hotel is a good location just a few minutes from the AUS terminal by car. The hotel features a nice outdoor pool, fitness center with decent equipment.

It also passes my test of offering the free breakfast at 6 am instead of the weird trend of 6:30 am that many hotels have moved to. It also has small guest laundry and the fitness center is open 24 hours. This hotel is located in a business park type area so not a tourist centric property but most of Austin is a car centered culture anyway. #traffic.

Separate bath and toilet area are a bit dated with dark lighting but spotless. Only complaint is the overdone water softener setting giving me that “swimming in the dead sea” spa experience.
I didn’t use the airport shuttle but they seem to have two drivers and vans on call at all times. Check with the hotel for details of course.
Overall a nice hotel with clean comfort and well located.

Photo Review of Super 8 Elgin Illinois

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This is a budget hotel that is well located in the NW Suburbs of Chicagoland. I’m not a big Wyndham fan but stayed here for work location purposes. It’s a clean hotel that is decent and being remodeled to boot. The staff is friendly but breakfast is underweleming. Toast, cold cereal and coffee are the highlights. No pool or fitness stuff to weigh down the cost but good safe location with comfortable rooms and beds.

Hotel Review of Holiday Inn Express Phoenix Airport University Drive PHX

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Quick photo review of the Holiday Inn Express Airport. This was a quick overnight before an early morning flight. Overall this is a very nice HIX a couple miles from PHX and they do have shuttle service and free parking for guests.

I was disappointed to find that breakfast isn’t served until 6am which normally would be OK but airport hotels should know better. Many people staying at airport hotels have early departures of course.

There is a waffle house in the parking lot but no other restaurants within walking distance except the Hilton Garden Inn nearby.

Because of my Spire status I was upgraded to a Junior Suite which was very nice and roomy. Overall I slept well with good AC on a day with 113 degree temps. I didn’t try the pool but i enjoyed the stay here.

Holiday Inn Express Early Texas Photo Review

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The HIX in Early Texas is a new, nice hotel with great staff. 6am breakfast, 24 hour large fitness center with excellent equipment and a nice outdoor pool cap off an excellent experience. Although the somewhat thin wall construction next to a busy road subtract some this is likely the best hotel within an hour or more in any direction. I will also note that Verizon has terrible coverage in this town. The free WiFi helped a ton on this stay.

Hotel Photo Review – Marriott Courtyard Springfield Missouri Airport

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The last time I stayed at this property Dick Cheney was VP. I know this because he was staying here at the same time on a campaign stop. I also remember this because when I checked in the front desk gave me the wrong key and I walked in on a secret service agent in his room, yikes.

Anyway this hotel has aged well. It’s one of the designs that has a small atrium in the lobby. It has a restaurant in the parking lot but is equipped with the Hyatt Place style bistro for breakfast, evening drinks and food. I like this but still feel that not having free breakfast,, even for elites, has long hampered Courtyard business traveler business. Sure many can expense this cost anyway but it is just more complicated than being able to grab a quick coffee or breakfast on the way out the door for most roadwarriors.

This hotel has a small in door pool, decent fitness room and clean rooms. I find the bathrooms a bit dated but spotless. This property is right off I-44 and near the Springfield Regional Airport. They have shuttle but a cab might be worth it to save time.

Photo review Wyndham Microtel San Antonio airport

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Recently visited the Microtel San Antonio San Pedro near the airport. Decent hotel, good location just off the highway and friendly staff. No fitness room but nice pool, free breakfast and clean up to date rooms.

Photo Review of Holiday Inn Temple Texas

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Just a quick overnight at the Holiday Inn Temple Texas this past week. It’s located along I-35. Typical but decent Holiday Inn. No free breakfast of course like HIX but nice, newer and clean. I arrived late and was planning on room service but no info in room on what or how to order. Tried calling the restaurant several times with no luck so I gave up and went out.

I also was unhappy that this hotel charges a random $2.99 service fee on the bill. I travel a lot and don’t typically see such junk fees unless I’m at a resort or Vegas. I questioned them on all this in my review. They responded by telling me that my corporate travel agent agreed to this fee at booking and this was a “green” fee they charge to help the planet. Seems like a random nickle and dime way to pay for the owners I guess.

None of this is a deal breaker but I will not stay here in the future.

Photo review of Holiday Inn Express – Woodward Oklahoma

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Fairly typical layout. Small town HIX but well located. Several restaurants and a Wal-Mart next door.

Decent beds and pillows. Clean.

Decent workspace although not all the ovehead lights connected on the furniture like other HIX of this style.

This is an older hotel but with remodeled rooms and door slamming oilfield workers.

Typical HIX breakfast.

Main lobby room.

Indoor pool. Sorry I didny get a photo of the fitness center but it featured a sauna as well.

Overall not bad. Limited choices in this area so I’d stay here again.

Trip Review: Business trip to New York City

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OK here is the recap of what I did and learned on my recent trip to NYC for business. I had business on Monday in Baltimore so I flew into Washington Reagan DCA and stayed in Baltimore Sunday night. Took care of business in Maryland on Monday.

Monday afternoon: I drove into NYC and got to Avis at LGA at about 9pm. I experienced terrible service there. Took the shuttle over to the D terminal and called HyattPlace Flushing to pick me up. They arrived in about 15 minutes. Very cold about 4 degrees out so it was nice to wait inside the terminal while waiting.
Cost and lesson so far: A one way rental with Avis from DCA $200 plus gas and NJ turpike and bridge tolls. It would have been much cheaper to drop and stay out in Newark I’m thinking. The shuttle tickets from DCA, BWI, etc. much too expensive during this period.

Arrived at the HyattPlace Flushing at about 10pm only to find out that Pointshound screwed up my reservation. Luckily the best front desk person in the world (Kristine ? I think) at the Hyatt got a hold of Pointshound and got them to rebook me at the nearby ParcHotel as the HyattPlace was sold out. The ParcHotel was very nice and only about 2 blocks of 4 degree and ice covered walking. The Hyatt offered to shuttle me over even. ParcHotel was actually about $25 a night cheaper so Pointshound in theory will refund me the difference.

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Lesson and note to self: Maybe not use Pointshound in the future? If I stay at ParcHotel Flushing make sure to ask for a North facing room so I can again view the LGA airfield and flights (NICE).

Tuesday: Was able to travel to the Bronx via the Main Street Flushing subway station. Cost about $2.75. Took care of business there and took the subway to The Bronx, another $2.75. Took care of business there and headed back to Flushing, another $2.75. Not bad.

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Lesson: Don’t swipe your Metro subway card in two different turnstiles. If it doesn’t take the first time stay on that one so you don’t lose $2.75 (My bad). Oh and don’t do a walking tour of NYC when it’s 4 degrees out. It effects the train schedule, crowding and your body.

Able to find good Chinese food and even visit the Mall next to the ParcHotel which was a very nice location.

Lesson: Start learning Cantonese or Mandarin or something since everywhere you go lately there are Chinese tourist :)

Wednesday: Used local car service to LGA at 5am. Flat rate $22 plus tip of course. US Airways flight out of Terminal C. Enjoyed the AA club there and met a super nice guy that claimed to be an 18 year Chairman member due to his frequent travel along the East coast. He knew everyone in the airport. He knew that you can get a Wall Street Journal at the Delta Shuttle area and better coffee. AA only has NY Times and USA Today.

Lesson: AA club at LGA Terminal C is required to have CNN on 5 TV’s and ESPN on two TV’s however you can request they change it. Once you leave or after so long they have to change it back.

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