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Vacations on a Bargain
May 26, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Do the budget blues have you down? If so, a recent Los Angeles Times article titled “Tips for Cheap Family Travel” may have just the medicine you need. With almost 20 suggestions, you are sure to find some real nuggets.
Road Warrior is a bargain hunter from way back and noticed how many suggestions were made to order for travel to budget-friendly Extended Stay Hotels. High on the LA Times list, at number three, is to “Get on a list.” If you haven’t already, check out Extended Stay’s Suite Offers program for great travel deals.
For family travel, the only thing better than a fun attraction is a free fun attraction. There are plenty of enjoyable free attractions all across the USA. Near the Extended Stay America in Asheville, North Carolina, is the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, one of the National Park Service’s best free attractions.
If your family wants a “mile high” experience on a down-to-earth budget, head for Colorado Springs and one of the two comfortable Extended Stay America hotels. In addition to all that great outdoor adventure, take the free tours of the U.S. Olympic Training Center or the Air Force Academy Visitor Center.
Don’t let the economy blues stop your fun family vacation. This is a great year for an Extended Stay vacation.
Taking it With You When You Go
May 22, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
No, we don’t mean packing money in a coffin. We are talking about taking the right technology on your next trip to assure business success and an enjoyable experience.
Whether waiting for an airplane or lounging in your Extended Stay studio, reading is a great way to pass the time. You can avoid carrying heavy books by using an electronic reader, or e-reader. One of the biggest drawbacks to e-readers, dim screens, may soon be a thing of the past. Science Daily recently reported that “e-paper” may soon provide the brilliance of printer media.
Picking the right e-reader for you may be a challenge. Among the top sellers are Kindle from Amazon, with great features like direct download and a text-to-speech button. If you want a smaller, lighter e-reader, the Sony Reader may be for you.
For road warriors not inclined to listen to music, talk radio has become an interesting way to spend time in the car. For little or no cost, copies of these programs, called podcasts, can be downloaded for play on an Ipod or other portable device so you never miss an interview, discussion or argument.
A final gadget you should consider is the latest in “small is good” – the Netbook. Running about 7 inches by 10 inches and weighing less than 3 pounds, Netbooks are great for the road warrior who doesn’t need heavy duty computing power while traveling. According to Global Advisor, if all you need are email, web surfing and some word processing, a Netbook could be ideal.
Technology is great, but a large comfortable room at the end of a tough day on the road should be at the top of every road warrior’s “must have” list. For this Road Warrior, Extended Stay Hotels are the only place to stay.
Celebrate Alaska’s History
May 21, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Alaska is not only our largest state, more than twice the size of Texas, it became the 49th state in our Union fifty years ago this year. Such a momentous occasion, especially in a place as amazing as Alaska, is a travel adventure not to be missed.
Road warriors from the Lower 48 may be surprised to know that average temperatures in Anchorage, the state’s largest city, can be quite mild from May through September. Additionally, a perusal of the Official Anchorage Travel Guide reveals that Alaska is packed with visitor attractions.
Dig into the Guide’s suggested itineraries, and you find valuable suggestions for fun activities like eco-tourism, sightseeing and wildlife watching. When your day on the tundra is complete, you have two terrific Extended Stay Hotels from which to choose, both offering the spacious, comfortable suites in convenient locations.
Dedicated nature lovers may consider the three hour drive to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can view moose, bear, wolf and all sorts of amazing birds. Whatever you do, be sure to bring a camera and binoculars.
Nearly four hours north of Anchorage is Denali National Park. At over six million acres, Denali is larger than the State of Massachusetts. The park is also home to Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America. Given the Park’s size and scope, consider taking a couple of days to really appreciate this natural wonder.
Several hundred miles southwest of Anchorage, and minutes from Glacier Bay National Park, is Juneau, Alaska’s capital and a tourist destination onto itself. Surprisingly, Juneau is larger than the entire state of Delaware, though the city’s population is just 31,000.
Juneau offers tourists great sightseeing from mighty glaciers to huge mountains and ice fields. Nature enthusiasts will be amazed at the whales, birds and other wildlife just waiting to be seen.
Amid this wild natural beauty, the friendly staff at Extended Stay Deluxe - Juneau on Shell Simmons Drive awaits your arrival.
The third Alaska destination jewel offering Extended Stay Hotels is Fairbanks, the largest city in Alaska’s interior region. Known for “winter fun and midnight sun,” Fairbanks offers diverse activities like dog mushing, stream fishing and still delivers plenty of great natural beauty.
At 50, Alaska may be one of our youngest states, but its beauty and grandeur is something you really must see for yourself. Plan your trip today.
20% off Last-Minute Week-End Deals - Extended Stay Hotels
May 21, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this week-end (stays 5/22 through 5/24) and next week-end (stays 5/29 through 5/30) at select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) locations. 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 Orlando, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
For Arrival Dates 5/22/2009 and 5/23/2009
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $29.99/night
* Los Angeles, CA - Rates from $44.99/night
* Orlando, FL - Rates from $31.99/night
* Boston, MA - Rates from $47.99/night
* Houston, TX - Rates from $39.99/night
For Arrival Dates 5/29/2009 and 5/30/2009
* St. Louis, MO - Rates from $27.99/night
* Las Vegas, NV - Rates from $43.99/night
* Columbus, OH - Rates from $35.99/night
* Portland, OR - Rates from $39.99/night
* Washington, D.C. Area - Rates from $43.99/night
Use Business Travel to Explore Nature's Wonders
May 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Business travel can be hard on road warriors. We work all day, spending time away from friends and family. To beat the business travel blues, look for special ways to spend evenings and weekends that make each trip memorable.
Springtime travelers to certain Florida beaches can view one of nature’s more amazing annual traditions. According the USA Today’s Travel Section, spring is the perfect time to view thousands of loggerhead turtles come onto the beaches to lay their eggs in the sand.
Several weeks later, the young hatchlings emerge from their underground nest and head for the ocean. For information on specific nesting locations, visit FunAndSand.com. Travelers loyal to Extended Stay Hotels will want to know that turtle viewing is near our West Palm Beach, Melbourne, and Ft. Lauderdale hotels.
If birds are more to your natural liking, and you are planning a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area, consider the short trip to the Monterey Bay where millions of Sooty Shearwaters can be found from mid-July through August. Extended Stay Hotels has 15 great places to stay near San Jose. For more information on bird watching, visit the Peterson Field Guides’ Birding Resources webpage.
For the true road warrior, it is as much about the journey as the destination. Make your journeys worth remembering. Visit nature’s wonders and stay in one of Extended Stay Hotels’ comfortable studios wherever you go.
20% off Week-End Stays - Extended Stay Hotels
May 13, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this week-end (stays 5/15 through 5/17) and next week-end (stays 5/22 through 5/24) at select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) locations. 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, Atlanta, and Dallas.
For Arrival Dates 5/15/2009 and 5/16/2009
* Denver, CO - Rates from $27.99/night
* Jacksonville, FL - Rates from $42.99/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $31.99/night
* Chicago, IL - Rates from $35.99/night
* Seattle, WA - Rates from $35.99/night
For Arrival Dates 5/22/2009 and 5/23/2009
* San Jose, CA - Rates from $43.99/night
* Detroit, MI - Rates from $39.99/night
* Raleigh/Durham, NC - Rates from $31.99/night
* Philadelphia, PA - Rates from $47.99/night
* Dallas, TX - Rates from $31.99/night
Oldies, Goodies and Great Places to Go
May 13, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
It’s been forty years since Woodstock, the Beatles and the days of endless rock and roll. For those road warriors looking for a nostalgic peek at the past, may we suggest a few days in fabulous Las Vegas this summer.
According to USA Today, the Fremont Street Experience, one of Las Vegas’ prime attractions, will relive the groovy days of 1969 with plenty of tie-dye tee shirts, peace symbols and some of the most amazing music in history. Just some of the bands invited to participate include Blood, Sweat and Tears, Three Dog Night and the 5th Dimension.
After all that fun, kick up your feet at one of Extended Stay Hotels' four great Las Vegas hotels.
If hippie fashions and rock and roll music aren’t your style, consider heading to the Heartland for Akron, Ohio’s Annual Antique, Classic & Collector Car Show. With 350 vehicles in 24 classes, this is a “must see” show for the die-hard car enthusiast. Fortunately, Akron’s two Extended Stay Hotels are less than 20 minutes away.
Are you feeling a “need for speed?” If so, spend a summer weekend with the Navy’s Blue Angels. As part of its 60th anniversary, Seattle, Washington’s Seafair will feature this amazing aerobatic team on July 31 – August 2. Be sure to make your plans to see the Blue Angels and other great Seafair events.
Finding a comfortable place to stay is absolutely no problem, since there are more than 15 Extended Stay Hotels in the greater Seattle area.
Being a road warrior should be more than spending your work week far from family and friends. Take that great travel experience on the road and have some fun. Wherever go, whether business or pleasure, be sure to make Extended Stay Hotels your home away from home.
20% off Week-End Stays at Select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) Locations
May 6, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this week-end (stays 5/8 through 5/10) and next week-end (stays 5/15 through 5/17). 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 Phoenix, Orlando, San Diego, or Fort Lauderdale.
For Arrival Dates 5/8/2009 and 5/9/2009
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $29.59/night
* Los Angeles, CA - Rates from $43.99/night
* Orlando, FL - Rates from $35.99/night
* Houston, TX - Rates from $39.99/night
* Washington, DC Area - Rates from $43.99/night
For Arrival Dates 5/8/2009 and 5/9/2009
* San Diego, CA - Rates from $54.39/night
* Fort Lauderdale, FL - Rates from $35.99/night
* New Orleans, LA - Rates from $71.99/night
* Las Vegas, NV - Rates from $43.99/night
* Nashville, TN - Rates from $31.99/night
Keeping Travel Finances Straight
May 5, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
At one time or another, almost every business traveler has had to deal with lost or misplaced receipts. It is no fun to have your boss or the accounting clerk kick back your expense report just as the credit card bill arrives.
Road Warrior has two ideas that may save you time and more than a few financial headaches. First, spend five bucks or so for a coupon organizer. Available all over the Internet, many of these organizing gems fit in your pocket or briefcase and have dividers (designed to hold varying types of coupons) which you can use to keep food, car rental, mileage, and entertainment receipts separate.
As for your hotel bill, sign up for Extended Stay Hotels' no-hassle direct billing program. That way every hotel bill at any of the nearly 700 locations across the US and in Canada will go straight to your accounting office. Just imagine, one fewer receipt to track and less of a drain on your credit card balance. To inquire about corporate hotel accounts, contact us through our website by clicking on this link.
Better Airline Service
May 1, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Did you have a better flying experience in 2008 over 2007? If so, you're in good company, according to an annual study performed by professors from Saint Louis University and Wichita State University. Airlines are ranked using statistical data on on-time performance, denied boardings, mishandled baggage and a variety of customer complaints.
The professors found that the airline industry generally performed better in 2008 than it had in 2007. The airline industry’s total score improved significantly, but the individual rankings remain pretty constant. The top performing airlines included Hawaiian Air and JetBlue with Atlantic Southeast remaining at the bottom of the list.
Although this might appear to be good news, the same sort of trend developed after 9/11; fewer flights and fliers meant the airlines were able to reduce the number of delays and cancellations. Road Warrior hopes that as the number of flights picks up again, the airlines are able to maintain the same level of increased performance that occurred in 2008.
