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20% off Stays This Weekend - Extended Stay Hotels
December 30, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this weekend (stays 1/1 through 1/3) and next weekend (stays 1/8 through 1/10) at select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) locations. Visit our Weekend Deals section by clicking here. From there, you can book and save at least 20% on stays this weekend or next at your favorite destinations, like Phoenix, Orlando, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and more.
For Arrival Dates 1/1/2010 and 1/2/2010
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $23.99/night
* Los Angeles, CA- Rates from $43.99/night
* Orlando, FL- Rates from $35.99/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $31.99/night
* Seattle, WA - Rates from $35.99/night
* See all Locations >
For Arrival Dates 1/8/2010 and 1/9/2010
* Denver, CO- Rates from $29.99/night
* St. Louis, MO - Rates from $19.99/night
* Chicago, IL- Rates from $34.99/night
* Las Vegas, NV - Rates from $39.99/night
* Houston, TX - Rates from $30.99/night
* See all Locations >
Why Stay Home for the Holidays?
December 17, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The song may be “Home for the Holidays,” but holidays are also a terrific time for fun travel adventures. If you are looking for the right place for a new holiday experience, Road Warrior has a few suggestions.
Having a wonderful family holiday season doesn’t have to involve bulky sweaters and lots of snow. Florida offers plenty of great holiday fun plus an average daytime temperature in the mid -70s.
The concept of Christmas in Orlando is so popular it has its own website named - you guessed it- ChristmasinOrlando.com. Fans of Mickey, Donald and all the Disney characters will want to take in Christmas at the Magic Kingdom. After you’ve seen it all in Orlando, make the hour and a half drive to Melbourne, a great spot for sun and sand along Florida’s famed Space Coast.
Whether you will be looking for accommodations in Orlando or a hotel in Melbourne, Extended Stay Hotels offers large rooms with plenty of amenities at exceptional prices.
For the traditionalists, there is nothing like a New England Christmas. For most of December the internationally-acclaimed Boston Pops Orchestra presents its Holiday Pops concerts. Boston has plenty to offer holiday visitors, and The Boston Happening Calendar is the website to consult to make your plans. Whatever event takes your fancy, you will find the perfect accommodations and great rates at any of the 12 Extended Stay Hotels in the Boston area.
If your idea of a fabulous holiday has you hurtling down a snow covered mountain at breakneck speed, you really should consider skiing in Utah. Park City and the various venues used during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics are all within an easy drive of Salt Lake City and its five comfortable Extended Stay Hotels locations.
Although many of us can’t wait to come home for the holidays, this time of year is also full of terrific travel opportunities. Why not create a new holiday tradition this year and take some extra time for sun and sand, a New England holiday or an exciting ski trip? After all, you’re assured a comfortable, convenient, and affordable place to stay at one of nearly 700 Extended Stay Hotels locations across the U.S. and in Canada.
Weekend Getaways at 20% Off - Extended Stay Hotels
December 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this weekend (stays 12/18 through 12/20) and next weekend (stays 12/25 through 12/27) at select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) locations. Visit our Weekend Deals section by clicking here. From there, you can book and save at least 20% on stays this weekend or next at your favorite destinations, like Phoenix, Orlando, Atlanta, Miami, and more.
For Arrival Dates 12/18/2009 and 12/19/2009
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $23.99/night
* Orlando, FL - Rates from $35.99/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $31.99/night
* Washington, DC Area - Rates from $43.99/night
* Miami, FL - Rates from $43.99/night
* See all Locations >
For Arrival Dates 12/25/2009 and 12/26/2009
* Los Angeles, CA- Rates from $41.99/night
* Jacksonville, FL - Rates from $39.99/night
* Chicago, IL- Rates from $34.99/night
* Las Vegas, NV - Rates from $47.99/night
* Seattle, WA - Rates from $35.99/night
* See all Locations >
Safe Winter Driving
December 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Good driving habits and proper car maintenance are smart ideas during the holiday and winter seasons. Whether you are driving your personal car to a family gathering or picking up a rental at the airport, there are precautions you can take to make this a safe and happy season.
The California State Automobile Association offers some very good suggestions for your winter driving. While their entire list is worth reading, one suggestion, being prepared by knowing local driving conditions, is Road Warrior's favorite. For up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions, most mapping websites offer useful tools. Google Maps, for example, lets you plot a trip and then click the “Traffic” button to see current conditions. If you are planning ahead, change from “Live traffic” to “Traffic at day and time.” While not perfect, this site can help you plan travel around traditionally tough traffic spots.
If you will be traveling the same route multiple times, consider using a tool like Traffic.com's Driving Alerts. After entering your route, you can choose to be contacted by phone, SMS text, or email when certain conditions develop.
If you will be traveling with children, especially in bad weather, be sure that the child safety seats are as safe as possible and properly installed. Because this is such a critical issue, the California State Automobile Association offers free child car seat inspections at locations in Northern California, Nevada and Utah for members and non-members alike. Drivers in other states can visit the Child Safety Seat Inspection Station Locator offered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In addition, often times, your local fire department or police department will provide a courtesy car seat inspection.
Perhaps the easiest way to improve both fuel economy and road traction is to be sure your tires are properly inflated. For a few dollars and a quick trip to the local auto supply store, you can have a tire gauge that is simple to use and saves you money. Most gauges are small enough to take along and use on a rental car. After all, good fuel economy and improved traction are as important with a rental as they are in your own vehicle.
One final recommendation on holiday and winter travel is to be as rested and alert as possible. That means frequent stops and getting a good night’s rest. When it comes to delivering a comfortable and affordable place to stay, no one beats Extended Stay Hotels. With a Best Rates Guarantee and nearly 700 hotels to serve you nationwide, Extended Stay Hotels is always the right choice for a comfortable, convenient, and affordable hotel room.
Weekend Stays from $23.99/Night - Select Extended Stay Hotels
December 10, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this weekend (stays 12/11 through 12/13) and next weekend (stays 12/18 through 12/20) at select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) locations. Visit our Weekend Deals section by clicking here. From there, you can book and save at least 20% on stays this weekend or next at your favorite destinations, like Phoenix, San Diego, Orlando, Atlanta, and more.
For Arrival Dates 12/11/2009 and 12/12/2009
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $23.99/night
* San Diego, CA- Rates from $51.99/night
* Orlando, FL - Rates from $35.99/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $31.99/night
* Philadelphia, PA - Rates from $51.99/night
* See all Locations >
For Arrival Dates 12/18/2009 and 12/19/2009
* Denver, CO- Rates from $27.99/night
* Chicago, IL - Rates from $34.99/night
* St. Louis, MO- Rates from $23.99/night
* Houston, TX - Rates from $30.99/night
* Seattle, WA - Rates from $35.99/night
* See all Locations >
Winter Travel Destinations
December 10, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Are you looking for that amazingly unique holiday experience? How does Christmas New Orleans Style sound? For the entire month of December, the City of New Orleans invites you to celebrate the holiday in ways you never dreamed possible.
During this festive time, New Orleans restaurants augment their famous Creole cuisine with offerings from the Revellion, a style of French cooking originally reserved for Christmas Eve. For the novice cuisinier, there are even free cooking lessons in the French Quarter presented by acclaimed local chefs.
After a thoroughly enjoyable, but exhausting day exploring this slice of France in America, you will want a large, comfortable place to relax. Extended Stay Hotels offers you two marvelous options. While both hotels offer superb accommodations, the Extended Stay America New Orleans – Metairie hotel is just eight miles from the French Quarter.
If your December is already filled with family events and activities, consider taking a break after all the holiday hubbub and head for Palm Springs, California, one of America’s fantastic winter playgrounds.
What awaits you in Palm Springs is more than warm sunny days and lush golf courses. For nearly half of January, this desert resort hosts the Palm Springs International Film Festival. With more than 175 films from 60 nations, this is an event that no movie lover should pass up. Whether you plan to purchase a few individual film tickets or go all out and attend one of the elegant black tie events, this is sure to be an exciting way to start your new year.
Make your stay in Palm Springs as comfortable as possible by booking your room at the Extended Stay America Palm Springs – Airport Hotel. Here you can lounge by the swimming pool and enjoy other amenities like a well-equipped kitchen, free local phone calls and wireless Internet access.
The late fall and winter seasons offer great opportunities to road warriors willing to pack a bag and head for fun attractions. Wherever your travels take you, you're likely to find a comfortable, convenient room at one of the nearly 700 Extended Stay Hotels locations across the U.S. and in Canada.
Be Prepared, Be Proactive, Be a Successful Traveler
December 7, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
To some modern road warriors, the ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times,” pretty well describes life as a business traveler. Surprise airline baggage fees and changed or delayed flights would certainly qualify as “interesting” for most travelers.
One need only pick up a daily newspaper to see an article about airlines reducing the number of flights or completely eliminating service to some cities. According to one recent article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, most domestic airlines are boosting gross profits by increasing load factors. That means fewer flights with more people on each. For travelers, this can mean delayed, rescheduled or even cancelled flights.
About the best suggestion around is to be proactive and be prepared just in case yours is one of those “interesting” flights. Here are some ways you can be proactive in your trip preparation.
Know which airlines charge which fees. By charging fees for everything from making a phone reservation to checking a bag, airlines can up their revenue per passenger without raising their published rates. Farecompare.com has an updated list of the fees associated with each major U.S. domestic airline.
Check new itineraries. Any email from your airline containing an itinerary deserves VERY close attention. You can configure many email accounts to forward you an SMS text message from certain senders – doing this for emails from the airlines means you won’t have to log in to your email to check for itinerary changes.
Get acquainted with FlightCaster.com. While your airline might wait until the last minute to inform you of weather delays, FlightCaster uses an advanced algorithm to predict the likelihood of delay up to six hours before the airlines make the decision.
Know your options. If your airline drops your destination city, consider changing to an airport within a reasonable driving distance of your original city. AlternateAirports.com offers suggestions and distances for alternate destinations for over 110 domestic airports.
If an alternate arrival city is your best option, you will likely need a rental car. Extended Stay Hotels has partnered with Hertz to offer customers special rates and promotions on car rentals.
Airline travel may have gotten a lot more “interesting,” but you are still guaranteed the best nightly, weekly or long-term rates when you book online at the Extended Stay Hotels website. Road Warrior urges all travelers to pay attention, be prepared and always make Extended Stay Hotels your local headquarters for business or leisure trips.
Holiday Gifts for the Road Warrior
December 3, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
It’s just about time for every radio station to start playing holiday music, so that makes it a good time to be thinking about gifts for that special road warrior in your life. In a recent MSNBC article, travel writer Chris Elliot reviewed a number of very cool travel related items.
One of the most intriguing items was a sleep aid called the NightWave. What road warrior hasn’t spent hours trying to get to sleep, but thinking about the next day’s work? If this sounds like your favorite traveler, be sure to check this non-pharmaceutical sleep aid.
With airlines cracking down on overweight luggage, this is the perfect holiday to give one of the portable luggage scales. Priced from well under $10 to nearly $50, you have plenty to choose from whether you shop at the local travel store or online.
One online site sometimes overlooked by road warriors is the travel section on SpaceSaver.com. This fun website has quit a few inventive small gifts that are perfect for almost every business traveler.
A great example is their mini task light. This lightweight, battery operated LED light clips on your ear, much like a cell phone headset, and shines right where you are looking. These are great for reading or for finding things in a dark car trunk.
With the growing number of odd shaped plugs used to charge mobile equipment, it is getting very hard to plug two items into the same wall outlet. Fortunately, someone invented the Rotator Swivel Plug that allows you to easily use both outlets.
SpaceSaver even has fun gifts for your four-legged traveling companions. Keep your dog’s food and water off the floor and out of your way with a raised pet feeding tray. Since both the legs and bowls are collapsible, this is easy to take almost anywhere. If your pet is your regular travel companion, you will be pleased to know that all Extended Stay Hotels are pet friendly places to stay.
One final gift idea for the Extended Stay Hotels traveler is a set of three grocery bag “carry-alls.” Since all Extended Stay Hotels have a full kitchen, these handy carabiner-type clips make bringing in groceries a snap.
As we all know, holiday times can be stressful. Pamper yourself this year with a weekend getaway, and don’t forget that you will save a lot of money in the process with the Extended Stay Hotels’ “Suite Savings” last-minute weekend offers.
Save 20% on Weekend Stays - Select Extended Stay Hotels Locations
December 3, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this weekend (stays 12/4 through 12/6) and next weekend (stays 12/11 through 12/13) at select Extended Stay Hotels(sm) locations. Visit our Weekend Deals section by clicking here. From there, you can book and save at least 20% on stays this weekend or next at your favorite destinations, like Orlando, Philadelphia, Chicago, and more.
For Arrival Dates 12/4/2009 and 12/5/2009
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $23.99/night
* Orlando, FL- Rates from $35.99/night
* Atlanta, GA - Rates from $31.99/night
* Chicago, IL - Rates from $34.99/night
* Philadelphia, PA - Rates from $43.99/night
* See all Locations >
For Arrival Dates 12/11/2009 and 12/12/2009
* Los Angeles, CA- Rates from $41.99/night
* Denver, CO - Rates from $27.99/night
* Las Vegas, NV- Rates from $39.99/night
* Philadelphia, PA - Rates from $51.99/night
* Dallas, TX - Rates from $27.99/night
* See all Locations >
Staying Healthy While Traveling
December 1, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
With seasonal flu, the H1N1 and the common cold all threatening your travel plans, Road Warrior thought this was a good time to discuss staying healthy while traveling.
World renowned travel writer Rick Steves recently published an article about staying well during your next European vacation that frankly has great ideas for domestic travelers as well.
After all, you don’t have to go to Europe to suffer jet lag. A cross country trek can really mess with your body clock. When traveling from west to east, try to rise early on travel day, and don’t wait until you are tired to go to bed. Flying from east to west brings the opposite problem. If at all possible, remain awake as late into the evening as you can. Getting acclimated to local time quickly also helps you stay healthy.
As children we were told to wash our hands frequently. The same advice goes for travelers today. All sorts of bacteria travel with us, making a good quality hand sanitizer an important travel accessory. According to a New York Times article, to be most effective, liquid sanitizers should contain between 60% and 95% alcohol.
Doctors recommend drinking plenty of fluids when we become ill, so it makes sense to remain hydrated when we travel. Avoiding alcohol and caffeinated beverages while flying is a good start. Once you reach your destination, stock up on fruit juices and sports drinks, like Gatorade. Each of the nearly 700 Extended Stay Hotels includes a full size refrigerator to keep drinks and other healthy fresh foods safe and cold.
If the worst does happen and you do become ill while traveling, don’t panic. The website essortment.com offers some good suggestions for dealing with common colds. Clearly, the best place to be when a cold strikes is your own home. When that isn’t possible, the fully equipped kitchens at Extended Stay Hotels let you fix and store all the nutritious food you need to nurse yourself back to good health.
