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Survival Kit for Traveling Adults
December 31, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
In an earlier blog, Road Warrior described what to include in a travel “survival kit” for children. With the new year just a day away, hints on items to make air travel easier for adults are in order.
Noise seems to multiply during travel, as does its ability to annoy us. To help shut out unwanted noise, consider packing earplugs in your carry-on items. Some fellow road warriors, usually those who favor high-tech gadgets, listen to what is called “white noise” on their IPod or MP3 player. Check Google for sites with downloadable “white noise” files.
Here are some other items for your travel survival kit. Eyeshades are great if you nap on the plane. Don’t count on the airline for entertainment; bring along a good book, a puzzle book, DVD player or music player. Also, don't forget that using electronic gadgets means you may need to pack extra batteries. If you are traveling with a friend, bring games or cards.
Be sure that your cell phone is fully charged and, given the potential for lost or broken phones, pack a backup calling card. Of course, unlimited local calls and personalized voicemail are always free at any of the nearly 700 Extended Stay Hotels nationwide and in Canada. Two other items that you should never do without on travels of any length are a small flashlight and some extra cash.
Plan ahead and make your next business or vacation trip a real pleasure.
Organized Travel
December 29, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Managing holiday travel is all about, well, management. That means you have to be organized. It also means that a list of things to do is a good idea. Here are some suggestions for your list.
The day before leaving, reconfirm all your reservations. Check that departure times haven’t changed. If you reserved specific seats, reconfirm them. If you are flying a first-come, first-served airline, set an alarm for 24 hours before departure to grab an early boarding assignment.
Dealing with checked luggage, especially during the holidays, can be a giant pain. This might be a good time to try something Road Warrior mentioned in an earlier blog, ship your bags ahead using a service like UPS. The address of your Extended Stay Hotel is easily found on the company website.
One final thing before you leave for the airport. Does your carry-on luggage meet the TSA requirements for size and content? If you aren’t sure, go to the TSA website (www.tsa.gov) and click on the “for travelers” button at the top.
Just like the Scouts, Road Warrior is very big on “being prepared.”
Week-End Hotel Discounts Starting at 20% off
December 17, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Check out our last minute deals for new bookings this week-end (December 19th-21st) and next week-end (December 26th-28th). Visit our Week-End Deals section by clicking here. From there, you can book and save at least 20% for stays this week-end or next at your favorite destinations, like Denver, Chicago, and New Orleans.
For Arrival dates 12/19/2008 and 12/20/2008
* Denver, CO - Rates from $34.39/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $35.99 a night
* Chicago, IL - Rates from $39.99 a night
* New Orleans, LA - Rates from $63.99 a night
* Austin, TX - Rates from $39.99 a night
For Arrival dates 12/26/2008 and 12/27/2008
* Little Rock, AR - Rates from $43.99/night
* Los Angeles, CA - Rates from $51.99 a night
* Orlando, FL - Rates from $39.99 a night
* Las Vegas, NV - Rates from $35.99 a night
* Charleston, SC - Rates from $55.99 a night
Travels with Children
December 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
If you will be traveling with youngsters this holiday season, planning ahead is not an option, it’s a necessity. To do otherwise pretty much assures a lot of noise, tears, and general discomfort for everyone.
A good first step is to pack a proper travel survival kit. That staple of childcare, kid-friendly food, is your first item. Take favorite snacks, but avoid things that melt or spill. When picking toys or games, consider the number and size of their parts. Dealing with lost parts is even less fun than a totally bored child.
Books and puzzles are fun, but don’t forget plenty of pencils and an eraser. You can even make your travel games educational; just don’t tell the kids. Have everybody try to find the letters of the alphabet in order on billboards, cars, or signs. Keep on the lookout for an Extended Stay Hotels(sm) brand, like Extended Stay America or Extended Stay Deluxe. That “x” is a hard letter to find.
Road trips can be fun, especially when you take enough breaks. Regular stops keep minds clear, spirits high, and are most relaxing when spend in a spacious hotel suite at a comfortable Extended Stay Hotel.
Avoiding the Crowds
December 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Since Road Warrior is concentrating on travel during this hectic holiday season, here are a couple of suggestions on avoiding at least some of those crowds.
Most every metropolitan area has several airports within a reasonable distance of each other. Through most of the holiday season certain of these airports and hotels will be crazy, while others nearby will be less crowded and less stressful to get through. As you plan flights, go to www.alternateairports.com and find your primary arrival city. In the very next column you will find a list of alternate cities. This website even gives you the airport codes and the distance between your primary city and the alternate.
Since this process will likely direct you to an airport you have never used before, consider taking a look at www.ifly.com. This user friendly website provides everything from maps and directions to ground transportation options.
Road Warrior hopes that when you arrive at your Extended Stay Hotel, you are well rested and ready for whatever business travel or pleasure activities you are planning.
Holiday Savings Available Now at Extended Stay Hotels
December 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Savings off our already guaranteed lowest Internet rates. Save $200 off a stay of 30+ nights, $100 off 15-29 nights, $50 off 7-29 nights, or $20 off 2-6 nights.* With plenty of great rooms to choose from at nearly 700 Extended Stay Hotels, you can afford to travel!
Save $200 off a single stay of 30+ nights
Save $100 off a single stay of 15-29 nights
Save $50 off a single stay of 7-14 nights
Save $25 off a single stay of 2-6 nights
*Offer good for one reservation booked online by 1/31/09. Valid for a single stay. Reservations are based on availability and must be made online at extendedstayhotels.com. Rates, amenities vary by brand and locations and are subject to change without notice. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Promotion discount is dependent upon stay dates, and will be applied at the property upon check-out. This offer is not valid for current or pending reservations.
Picking a Good Airplane Seat
December 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Most experienced travelers have had that awful experience of picking a bad airline seat. You know which ones these are. They don’t recline, or they are right next to the galley or lavatory, or worse yet, they have limited legroom. Road Warrior sees no reason to increase your holiday travel stress by spending uncomfortable hours in the air, so here is a suggestion that might help.
When you are ready to pick your seat, be sure you have the website Seatguru.com open in its own window on your computer. This great site shows the seating configuration for almost every airplane flown by nearly every major airline in the world. Each seat is rated so you don’t end up sitting where you can’t see the viewing screen or where the seat doesn’t recline. Should there be a change in your flight, initiated by you or the airline, be sure to reconfirm that you still have your great seats.
Experienced travelers deserve a little comfort when they travel. That’s why so many stay at Extended Stay Hotels. Road Warrior hopes that a quick peek at Seatguru.com will mean a great trip right from the very beginning.
Successful Holiday Travel
December 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Holiday travel can be a battlefield for any road warrior. Between now and the first of the New Year, we will share a few tips and ideas to make your travel, whether for business or pleasure, a little less harrowing.
Planning is crucial, and Road Warrior suggests that you make reservations for flights, rental cars, and at the Extended Stay Hotel as soon as possible. Don’t assume that the economic slowdown will translate into more airline seats. Airlines have cut back on the number of flights, meaning that individual airplanes this holiday season may actually be more crowded than in past years.
As the travel date gets close, some airlines offer lower rates to fill seats. Check back with the airline frequently to see if better rates are available. If you used the Internet to do your initial shopping, use the telephone to check for lower rates. Some airlines add “cookies” to your computer that record information about your transaction. Unfortunately, these electronic notes can also block you from seeing the lower rates once you have already booked a particular flight.
Wherever you may travel this holiday season, Road Warrior wishes you happy trails.
Last Minute Week-End Deals at Extended Stay Hotels
December 3, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Check out our last minute week-end deals for new bookings for this week-end (12/5 or 12/6 check-in) only. Visit our Week-End Deals section by clicking here. From there, you can book and save at least 20% for stays this week-end at your favorite destinations, like Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta.
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $37.59/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $35.99 a night
* Chicago, IL - Rates from $39.99 a night
* Dallas, TX - Rates from $35.99 a night
* St. Louis, MO - Rates from $31.99 a night
