Travel tips for road warriors on the move and extended stay travelers who like long term vacations.

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Orlando Hotels and Travel Guide

January 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The new trend in business travel seems to be to choose destinations, for conferences or important company meetings, which are in warm and sunny locations. Orlando has greatly benefited from companies realizing that their employees want pleasant weather and a variety of extracurricular activities to choose from during their stay.

Getting Around:

• Get around downtown Orlando for just $4.00 with a single day pass on the LYNX bus system.
• Save money with a Go Orlando Card at about 50 of the best attractions, eliminating the need to purchase tickets in advance.

Seeing The Sights:

• Aside from Orlando's famous theme parks such as Busch Gardens Africa, SeaWorld, and Disney's Epcot Center, there is plenty to keep you fully entertained. Check out some other exciting options like seeing the Florida Everglades, and possibly spotting a gator, on an airboat tour, or swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove.
• Indulge in a luxury shopping experience at the Mall at Millenia and spoil yourself.

Culture: 

• A visit to the Orlando Science Center can be a fun and eye opening experience for kids of all ages.
• Check out amazing artists at the Florida Music Festival going on from May 14-17th, 2008.

Where To Stay:

• If you are in town for a trade show or conference at the Orange Country Convention Center be sure to check Extended Stay Hotels’ convention center page for nearby accommodations. You can even come for work, but stay longer for fun. Extended Stay Hotels has 15 great Orlando locations, right where all the action is.

Valentine Trip

January 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

As we reach the end of January, already the diamond jewelry ads are flooding the airwaves and candy companies are trying to cash in on the Valentine’s Day preparations.  There is even an ad suggesting we all go out and buy cell phones for our loved ones this February.  If rocks, sugar, and electronics don't quite seem like the perfect romantic gesture, start thinking mini-vacation. A Valentine trip may be just the thing.

You don’t have to go far.  Florida or California can be a sunny winter break.  Las Vegas has become known for its five star gourmet restaurants.  New York City is the perfect destination for dinner and a Broadway show.  Extended Stay Hotels has lots of locations where you can reserve a full suite.  And a nice bottle of wine and favorite dessert can be waiting in the fridge.  Or if you don't like the idea of dealing with crowds at fancy restaurants, cook dinner in the kitchen of the suite.  Be creative.  It may be a Hallmark holiday, but it’s still a nice excuse to celebrate that special someone.  Or the perfect excuse to spend a night out on the town and perhaps meet a special someone.

Airport Parking

January 22, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Finding airport parking is becoming an increasing problem, along with longer security lines and fuller flights. Driving to the airport, only to find that all parking lots are filled to the max, can not only cramp your plans, but can cause you to miss your flight. For business travelers, when such inconveniences are simply not an option, planning ahead can offer a quick fix.

A necessary step nowadays seems to be booking a parking spot in advance at off-airport lots. The Park ’N Fly Network, takes reservations for parking spaces close by nearly 70 airports, with services ranging from self-parking with bus shuttles to valet parking with amenities like car washes and oil changes. Or if you are traveling to the congested New York City area airports, Newark International, LaGuardia, and JFK, try Air Park Parking, which offers nearby parking and shuttles to your terminal.

Airports themselves have begun to take measures to improve parking woes. For example, Heartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport allows travelers to check the status of their parking garages online. Minneapolis-St. Paul International and JFK International are also both expanding their parking capacity.

And finally, sometimes the easiest option is to stay close to the airport to minimize parking headaches, which is why Extended Stay Hotels has many airport hotels. Some even include airport shuttles direct from the hotel.

Airline Miles

January 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Airline miles programs have always rewarded frequent business travelers with free flights, upgrades, or special status. Now, you can take it a step further and buy, sell, or even gift miles to friends and family. This new flexibility in how you can use your miles can benefit every Road Warrior by making your trip planning more convenient and saving you money.

Try to book flights on one airline if possible to maximize points in one place.  Then, go straight to that airline’s website and read through their point program information to make sure you are considering all your options and getting the most rewards. Continental Airlines, for instance, allows you to purchase up to 25% of the miles needed for any OnePass reward requiring at least 20,000 miles. These miles must be bought in 1,000-mile increments, at $32 (plus tax) per increment, and are non-refundable. Also, as we mentioned in a previous post, NWA offers a gift registry for miles so you can send those newlyweds on their honeymoon, or you can donate your miles to charity and make a difference. Other programs that are available, like Air-Awards.com, broker transactions between frequent fliers transferring mileage awards for cash and travelers buying airline tickets at lower prices. With this service, you can buy and sell transferable frequent flyer mileage awards and upgrade certificates.

Use your airline miles to get you to your favorite and most frequented Extended Stay Hotel locations, whether that’s near a city, a golf course, a theme park, or a stadium.

Real ID Licenses

January 15, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

As part of the Real ID Act, passed in 2005, Homeland Security has devised new rules for drivers' licenses. U.S. residents born after Dec. 1, 1964 will be required to get new Homeland Security approved drivers' licenses by Dec. 1, 2014 if they want to use them for the purpose of boarding an airplane or entering a federal building. Those born before Dec. 1, 1964 will have until 2017 to comply with these new rules.

DHS has announced these new regulations to set a uniform standard that enhances the integrity of drivers’ licenses and identification cards. It will also reduce the cost of implementing ID cards by roughly 73% for the state. Road Warriors should take note, and start gearing up for this change when flying domestically. What to expect from these fraud defying ID cards:

• Strict information and security features that must be incorporated into every card.
• Concrete proof of the identity and U.S. citizenship or legal status of the applicant.
• Verification of the source all documents submitted by the applicant.
• Uniform security standards for the offices that issue licenses and identification cards.

Virgin America Review

January 8, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack

If you are a constant traveler like us, you have high hopes for anything new to shake up the airline industry -- especially if it is being done by Sir Richard Branson. Airlines have been notoriously stodgy, so much so that there was a recent parody on Fox called The Loop. Can the "maverick" billionaire from Britain change things stateside with Virgin America? I decided to find out by reviewing a recent round trip flight between New York and San Francisco.

First impressions are high as you are met onboard with seductive mood lighting and comfortable space age seating with beautiful and attentive flight attendants. The instructional video even has some emotion in its animation style. Glance down to the entertainment remote and you will see two unique buttons: WWW (lower right next to the headphones) and... a pie (at the very top and center).

Yes, you can order food right from your seat. Only there is no pie on the menu! What gives? The steak sandwich was great, but I was not brave enough to try the "Strawberry Fruit Leather". The individual cup holes are a nice idea, but they forgot to add something on the bottom to actually hold the cup so your drink will fall right through.

Oh, and Internet access is not ready yet.

Overall, the most redeeming quality to Virgin America is the in-seat power outlets for your laptop or mp3 player. They are under your armrests and are totally unadvertised once you're onboard.

Amtrak, you should take note, as your last few advantages are fading away. Sadly the outlet is also the most needed amenity, because you can't rely on Dish Network's service or even the in-flight music system. Channel selection is superior to JetBlue, but the reception was worse -- often choppy and failing regularly. I never once got access to channels higher on the dial such as Comedy Central or BBC America. That is to be somewhat expected for satellite, but the system is in dire need of an upgrade when music can't even be streamed properly. A five minute song will probably take on average of about six minutes to play. There was no way I was going to trust them by paying for a movie with that kind of playback to expect.

Another great potential feature is the ability to chat with others on the plane. Yet the remote again proved futile and would only let me enter my name once. I could not successfully get a single instant message off on either flight.

Two different games attempted at both my console and my neighbor's crashed upon start. We asked the stewardesses two or three times to reset the system, but to no avail.

Unfortunately for us early adopters and those eager for new blood in the laggard airline business, Sir Richard Branson's latest venture is good but not quite fully realized. Yet it shows promise. We'll certainly give Virgin America another chance in a year or so (and hopefully another review), but Virgin Galactic had better be more polished when they launch.

Lithium Battery Travel Restrictions

January 8, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Effective since January 1, 2008, travelers can no longer fly with loose or "spare" lithium batteries in any checked luggage and batteries in carry on items must be below a certain size. The FAA has imposed new lithium battery travel restrictions due to the unlikely event they may explode aboard airplanes. Most business travelers will not be affected since the lithium batteries in devices such as cell phones and most laptops are of allowable size for checked and carry on luggage.

The new regulations apply only to lithium ion (Li Ion) and lithium metal batteries, with different rules for installed and uninstalled batteries, batteries in carry on versus checked luggage, and according to size of the battery.

Lithium Metal Batteries -

• Uninstalled batteries of over 2 grams lithium are forbidden in checked and carry-on luggage.
• Installed batteries up to 2 grams lithium are ok in both checked and carry on bags.
• Spare lithium metal battery of up to 2 grams lithium are forbidden in checked but allowed in carry on luggage.

Lithium Ion Batteries -

• Up to 8 grams lithium equivalent content, or approximately 100 watt-hours, not installed in a device, are forbidden in checked luggage but are ok in carry on bags.
• Installed batteries of up to 8 grams lithium are ok in checked and carry on baggage.
• Up to 2 batteries, spare or installed, between 8 and 25 grams aggregate lithium (approximately 300 watt-hours) equivalent content, are permitted in carry on but not in checked luggage. The FAA suggests storing each spare battery in a plastic case for added safety.

Almost all consumer-type lithium metal batteries are below 2 grams of lithium metal. But if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer for any lithium based batteries you may be flying with.

Daily News

January 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

When you travel for business, it can sometimes be hard to grab a newspaper or magazine while running through the airport or prepping for that convention. But the Internet is easily accessible almost everywhere, and when you’re already on your computer for work it’s a convenient place to get your news fix. Reading information online is convenient and allows you to forward articles of interest to colleagues or loved ones. PC Magazine has created a list of great sites. Below, we’ve taken their list and mixed with some of our own inspiration in order to recommend all kinds of things you can read online instead of in the papers.

• Sports - ESPN.com is the obvious choice for in-depth coverage of all things sports.
• Gossip - Get your gossip fix and celebrity news from the ultimate source TMZ.com, for up-to-the-minute coverage.
• Financial - Bloomberg.com is an excellent source for constantly updated financial news and stock info.
• Technology - TechCrunch is a highly influential blog about startups and tech industry news, written in short,  to-the-point posts for easy reading.
• Games - For your favorite time killers like Sudoku and the crossword puzzle, and for when you want to branch out to multiplayer or more, Yahoo! Games has lots of free options.
• Headlines - Topix.com pulls daily news from the top newspapers, allowing you to read from multiple sources and focus in on local, national, or world news. 
• Classifieds - Find anything anywhere with Craigslist, from job listings to dating.
• Real Estate - With Trulia.com, you can search listings and view housing data and trends.
• Movie Listings - Search for movie times, locations, and buy tickets with Hollywood.com, or just read up on the latest movie news.

Free up space in your hand luggage and go paperless. Sites such as del.icio.us let you bookmark and share your favorite articles, or try Netvibes to aggregate the news feeds you like best in one place. No matter where online you turn for your news, Extended Stay Hotels offers high speed Wi-Fi Internet in every suite, ensuring you stay informed. 

Super Bowl XLII

January 3, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

On Feb 3, 2008, just a month away, the excitement of the Super Bowl will be here. Fans from far and wide will be flocking to the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona to catch the action firsthand. Now is the time for those lucky ticket holders to start making those travel plans to see the big game live.

With the Patriots, Packers, and Cowboys all as front-runners, this year's Super Bowl is sure to please. And the location of the game can’t be beat. The Phoenix area, commonly called the Valley of the Sun, is a great desert escape. Visitors can enjoy a golfing oasis, with beautiful red rocks and fine dining during any down time. For more information on attractions in and around the city, visit Extended Stay Hotels’ Phoenix travel guide.

Extended Stay Hotels has 17 convenient locations in the Phoenix area with suites equipped with full kitchens and Wi-Fi. If you can't make it to Phoenix, tune into the Fox network at 4:18 p.m. (6:18 p.m. EST) to see it all, whether you’re at a Super Bowl party or the neighborhood sports bar.