Travel Texting

When you arrive in a new city, it's always nice to have a friend in town to recommend restaurants or tell you that the art museum is closed on Mondays.  However, you may not have those kinds of connections in every city.  And if your friend is busy and not answering the phone, you're back to square one.  There is now a service that gives you that kind of insider information wherever you are.

ChaCha is a service that you text with questions about the city and, in turn, they respond with personalized information and recommendations.  This service is free and can be the perfect way to get answers to travel questions when not near a computer with Internet access. 

They aren't the only ones looking to provide you with information through texting.  The FCC recently approved an alert system that will send text messages during emergencies in order to keep the public informed.  And CNN is reporting that more airlines and airports are turning to texting as a way to keep travelers updated on flight information.  So keep that cell phone handy while traveling!

Texting can be a great way to keep up on travel information and also keep in touch with friends and family at home.

May 12, 2008
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Luggage Surcharge

When we reported a couple months ago on United charging extra for checking luggage, we thought it might become a trend.  Now, five of the six major US carriers carry surcharges for checking more than one bag.  For business travelers who need the extra space for presentation materials or demo products, the added expense is a hard hit.  Instead of letting the airlines sink your budget, there are some alternatives that may work better.

  • Ship packages before you go.  Shipping rates may be less than the $50 that luggage will cost you, roundtrip.
  • Take them in the car with you.  That is, if the event is within driving distance.
  • Consider alternative methods of public transportation.  Trains, for instance, still allow you to take that second bag for free.
  • Only take essentials.  This one might be obvious, but if you bring a flash drive with a document, and print copies on-site instead of lugging 50 copies there, you can save space and cut out this surcharge.

May 8, 2008
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Mother's Day Hotel

If you don't know what to get Mom for Mother's Day, your perfect gift may be just a click away. Whisk your mother away on a trip to a fun destination. Spend the weekend exploring the city or treat her to a day at a nearby spa. And these great deals can make a weekend vacation even more tempting. This year, make Mother's Day memorable.

* Birmingham, AL - Rates from $43.99 per night
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $35.99 per night
* Orlando, FL - Rates from $40.99 per night
* Boston, MA - Rates from $63.99 per night
* Seattle, WA - Rates from $39.99 per night

To get all the details on these great deals and more, view all savings today. We look forward to your stay with us and providing you SuiteSavings rates every weekend!

May 7, 2008
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Kids Travel Free Deals

Keep the summer vacation within your budget by finding deals for younger family members.  Often, restaurants will have a 'kids eat free" policy and airlines will sometimes even, through promotions, let kids fly free.

While traveling this summer, keep an eye out for restaurants with a "kids eat free" policy.  At some TGI Fridays, kids eat free on Mondays; and at Joe's Crab Shack, eat for only 99 cents.  On Tuesday evenings, kids eat free at Denny's and Bennigan's with a coupon.  To find non-chain restaurants with similar policies, visit Kids Eat Free and search by state and town.

For lodging, a family will have lots of space in an Extended Stay Hotels suite.  And if there isn’t a "kids eat free" deal nearby, just use the suite’s kitchen for a meal or snack.  By seeking out the family travel deals, summer vacation can be fun and affordable.

May 6, 2008
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Travel Sized Supplies

If you're like many business travelers, checking luggage is a luxury you can't afford due to time wasted at baggage carousels.  However, there are times when you just want to bring along your favorite shampoo, salad dressing, or toothpaste.  The good news is that you don't have to check your baggage and still get your go-to items, all without having to buy a new full-sized bottle at each destination, only to then leave behind at the end of the trip. 

Minimus is a new website that sells airport-approved bottles and packages of hundreds of items for a few dollars or cents apiece.  Everything fits TSA requirements in every way.  And even for the non-liquid items, having a small container of something you don’t need much of can save valuable space and reduce the weight of your luggage.

May 1, 2008
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Last Minute Accommodations

Cinco de Mayo weekend is the perfect excuse to travel somewhere exciting and celebrate. Go out to California, Las Vegas, or any of these amazing weekend deals. Why stay at home when it's the perfect time to enjoy an inexpensive weekend getaway? Take a look at the deals below and find the destination you've been waiting for.

  * Bakersfield, CA
  * Colorado Springs, CO
  * Atlanta, GA
  * Detroit, MI
  * Las Vegas, NV

To get all the details on these great deals and more, view all savings today. We look forward to your stay with us and providing you SuiteSavings rates every weekend!

April 30, 2008
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Healthy Business Travel

Rewarding yourself for putting up with a long security line and delayed flight by hitting the Cinnabon counter may be good for your mood, but certainly not for your waistline, as one business traveler found out.  And after a long day at meetings, the easiest thing to do is to head back to the hotel, order a pizza for dinner, and call it a night.  But these choices may make you unhappy in the long run.  So how can you pile on the frequent flier miles without packing on pounds?

According to health experts, the key is planning ahead.  Have an idea of a nutritious meal that sounds good to you before you get to the restaurant.  Bring exercise DVDs or make a commitment to do push-ups or sit-ups in the hotel each night.  Pack snacks like nuts or fruit to hold you over during delays, traffic, and other unforeseen hold-ups.

These are all simple things that will make you healthier when you travel.  And while it’s easier said than done, if you plan ahead you’ll be more likely to have the motivation and resources to follow through.

April 28, 2008
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Hotel Savings

Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and it's the perfect time to get in an early vacation before the summer crowds.  Take this weekend for yourself to explore a new city.  And by going on a spur of the moment trip, you can get some great last minute deals.  See below for some weekend bargains.

  To get all the details on these great deals and more, view all savings today. We look forward to your stay with us and providing you SuiteSavings rates every weekend!

April 25, 2008
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Graduation Traveling

It's that time again.  Seniors across the country are donning cap and gown and family members are flocking to watch.  Between high schools and colleges, spring is a time for graduation and celebration. Whether you are friend or family, here are a few tips to help you play supporting cast for the big day.

Before heading to any graduation, be sure to check the weather report.  You may be outside for a while during the ceremony so sunscreen is crucial and a jacket may be very welcome if it's windy.  Also ask about the school’s rain policy since many schools only provide a few tickets per student if the ceremony needs to be moved indoors.

With a little thought and creativity, you can get the perfect graduation gift.  To figure out what to bring for the young grad, check out these graduation gift ideas.  Alternatively, consider getting a frame for the diploma or a meaningful book, like Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss.

While you're visiting to share in the special day, accommodations can be tricky.  To find a close, comfortable hotel, check out Extended Stay Hotel’s list of hotels near colleges and universities.

While you are on the road, remember that others are starting their biggest journey.

April 24, 2008
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SkyMall Catalog

You’re sitting on a plane, bored, and decide to flip through the SkyMall catalog in the seat pocket in front of you. And while the guillotine cigar cutter and other items are laughable, every once in a while there’s a product that’s a really good idea, like the virtual keyboard. Am I the only one tempted by this catalog?

April 22, 2008
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Spring Festivals

As the weather gets warmer, the time to head outside draws nearer.  And with all the festivals taking place across the country over the next few months, there are plenty of excuses to get out and celebrate.  Take a trip to one of these 2008 Spring Festival destinations and join in the fun!

From music to flowers, there are festivals for everyone to find something entertaining.  Go down to New Orleans for the Jazz Festival, Santa Cruz for the Blues Festival, or Chicago for the Salsa Festival.  And perhaps the best yet, the Green Apple Music Festival for Earth Day has been expanded to new cities.  For the festival this year, there will be free concerts in New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Dallas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

No matter where you plan to roam this spring, keep a look out for a local festival.  Just be sure to bring an umbrella and have a nice dry place to go nearby, like an Extended Stay Hotels suite.

April 17, 2008
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Weekend Hotel

Spring break is over and summer is still weeks away. But after a long weekend, there's no reason to stay inside for another weekend. Get outside and enjoy the sunny weather! And since it's the weekend before Earth Day, it may be a good time to stop in a park or go for a hike and enjoy nature. For some great prices on accommodations this weekend, here are the latest deals:

To get all the details on these great deals and more, view all savings today. We look forward to your stay with us and providing you SuiteSavings rates every weekend!

April 15, 2008
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SSD Technology

You're next laptop could be as thin as a magazine. With the new solid state drive notebooks coming onto the market, the technology is here today.

It's on the expensive side now, but having the computer's hard drive space on a portable drive instead of taking up space in the computer has definite advantages. Flash drives are fast since they don't have to spin up or spin down. And with fewer moving parts, the flash drives are more stable and reliable.  Also, with a flash drive, if you fill up one card, you can always invest in another. But the drive may take longer to fill up than expected.

Flash memory card technology, originally popularized by digital cameras and mp3 players, has now advanced enough to be used to create replacements for entire computer hard drives. The amount of space on these new drives is getting bigger every day. Solid state drives are already measured in the tens of gigabytes. The MacBook Air is already using this solid state drive technology to revolutionize their laptops and these sleek computers are on sale now. There's something to be said for waiting a little bit until the price comes down, but once they are, this technology promises to be the next leap in laptops.

And storage space in general is getting cheaper and more accessible.  Researchers have been able to create a consumer hard drive that can hold a terabyte of information. That's 1,000 gigabytes!  Meanwhile, Fujitsu has created a commercial portable hard drive that has 300 GB and is only 2.5 inches for laptops.  That is currently about 10x larger than most SSDs, which currently top out at 32 GB (although 64 GB is coming soon).

April 14, 2008
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