The Extended Test Drive
June 23, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Those paying attention have been hearing a whole bunch of talk about cars over the last few months. Fuel-efficient and eco-friendly “green” cars are all the buzz and our politicians are talking about new ways to get each of us to buy a new car. So what is a road warrior to do?
There are so many questions. Is this the time to get a new car? Should I buy or lease? Will the low-emission, high-mileage cars deliver the power and performance I want or need? What extras are worth the price? These are tough questions that a trip to the showroom and a 20 minute test drive may not answer.
One idea is to turn your next business trip into an exploration of potential future car purchases. After all, if you make the right choices, renting a car can turn out to be a week long test drive. To advance this idea, Road Warrior checked with Hertz, preferred car rental company. Here are some ideas you might want to investigate.
Hertz has several of what it calls “Collections.” Since environmentally friendly cars are all the rage, let’s look at the Green Collection. Most of us have heard of the Prius Hybrid, so that may a good place to begin. If you want to drive an American car, take a look at the Ford Fusion. According to Ford Motor Company, the 2010 Fusion Hybrid will sport 41 miles-per-gallon and the standard 4-cylinder model an impressive 34 MPG.
If you’re thinking of really upgrading, why not rent from the Hertz Prestige Collection. This is a great way to see if that Audi Q7 really is for you or if the Mercedes C Class matches up to its advertising. As long as we are dreaming, why not rent a Mustang convertible, a rugged Jeep or, dare we say it, a Corvette?
Driving a rental car can help you make more decisions than which model or engine type is for you. Extras like GPS navigation can add a lot to the price of a car. For a minor investment, you can test drive these extras when you test drive your car rental.
No one really knows what our transportation will be like in ten or twenty years, but Road Warrior remains confident that a spacious, well appointed hotel room will still be high on most travelers’ list for a very long time. Whether you are traveling in a rented car or not, Extended Stay Hotels always offers a clean, comfortable room at an affordable price.
Last Minute Week-End Deals from 20% off - Extended Stay Hotels
June 17, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last minute deals for new bookings this week-end (stays 6/19 through 6/21) and next week-end (stays 6/26 through 6/28) 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 Phoenix, Fremont, Chicago, Las Vegas.
For Arrival Dates 6/19/2009 and 6/20/2009
* Phoenix, AZ - Rates from $23.99/night
* Fremont, CA - Rates from $43.99/night
* Jacksonville, FL - Rates from $42.99/night
* Detroit, MI - Rates from $35.99/night
* Columbus, OH - Rates from $37.99/night
For Arrival Dates 6/26/2009 and 6/27/2009
* Chicago, IL - Rates from $35.99/night
* Charlotte, NC - Rates from $46.99/night
* Las Vegas, NV - Rates from $39.99/night
* Austin, TX - Rates from $43.99/night
* Seattle, WA - Rates from $31.99/night
Oregon's Sesquicentennial Celebration
June 13, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Can you define a “sesquicentennial” celebration? Very good! It’s a 150 year celebration. Here’s the second question. Did you know that 2009 marks 150 years of statehood for Oregon?
If you want a taste of how Oregonians are celebrating this historic event, visit the Oregon 150 website. One of the really fun year-long events offered as part of the celebration is the Oregon 150 Challenge. This is tailor made for the adventurous road warrior.
Here is how it works. For purposes of the Challenge, the state is divided into seven regions. Qualifying destinations include eateries, outdoor activities, events and other interesting and fun attractions. The website has a complete list of possible visits. Once you’ve completed and documented the requisite number of visits, you qualify for some really neat tour package prizes.
But as every road warrior knows, getting to the goal can be as much fun. So consider some of the things you might visit. Portland, as the state’ largest city, is a good place to begin. You will want to be sure you have comfortable accommodations, so pick one of the six Extended Stay Hotels in the greater Portland area. After a long day sightseeing, these comfortable rooms will be just what you want.
If fresh food is something you enjoy, consider visiting one of the many local farmers’ markets in the greater Portland area. Agriculture remains an important part of the Oregon economy, and the local food is exceptional.
Two other fun places to visit in Oregon are Salem, the state capitol, and Eugene. You will find comfortable Extended Stay Hotels in each of these fine cities as well. Near Salem is theAdelman Peony Gardens, one of the nation’s leading growers of these beautiful flowers.
Those interested in the excitement of fresh water fishing will want to head south to Eugene. Even a beginner can feel the thrill after lessons from nature outfitter 02 Fish.
Whether you are competing in the Oregon 150 challenge, or just enjoying the diverse sights and entertainment, Oregon is worth the visit. To ensure that your accommodations are clean, comfortable and affordable, be sure to book your stay at one of the nearby Extended Stay Hotels locations.
Protecting the Homestead
June 10, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Most every road warrior has experienced that momentary wonder of whether the coffee pot was turned off or the front door locked. Some may become anxious when they first open the front door after a long trip. Fox News recently ran a great article on home security with tips every road warrior should follow.
One important point made in the article involves the growing popularity of social networking sites on the Internet. These far flung “friends” may be fun to share recipes with, but it isn’t a good idea to be bragging about an upcoming vacation. In some cases, you may as well hang out an “I’m gone, rob me” sign on the front porch. This, of course, does not apply to good friends and neighbors, especially those who can keep watch over your house.
In addition, you are advised to not let technology do you in; the GPS in your car with your home address combined with your automatic garage door opener is a recipe for disaster. A clever car thief can steal your car at the airport, use the GPS to find your house, open the garage and load up your stuff in your car.
To avoid the above scenario, the article advises you to not program your address into the “home” field in your GPS. If you absolutely must have something to gage the distance to home, pick the address of a store at least two miles from the house. Should a thief find your home, don’t let them use your automatic door opener. The simplest way to protect against this is to unplug the opener. Most models remain locked even without power.
With the advent of digital recording, it has become easier to use cameras to both record and transmit pictures of your home and property. Whether you use hidden interior cameras, so called nanny cams, or install protected cameras in plain sight, electronic security can be a very good idea.
Some innovative homeowners, like one recently reported on by the BBC, have even used webcams to actually catch the thieves in the act. Just imagine sitting in your comfortable Extended Stay Hotels room and logging on to check up on your belongings. Now that’s home security.
Whatever methods you choose, take some time before your next trip to make arrangements to keep your home and property safe and secure. As a wise fellow once said, safety is never an accident.
The Next Stop for Road Warriors
June 5, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
For most road warriors, finding a great restaurant, a quiet place to read or an attraction that is uniquely fun can be a real challenge. While websites like Google and Yahoo deliver plenty of information, you still have to work your way through what can be thousands of pages looking for the right spot. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just get a recommendation from somebody who has been there?
According to an article recently published by techcrunch.com, now you can - thanks to the inventive minds of a group of former Google developers. A terrific new road warrior tool, Nextstop.com, combines the best aspects of social networking sites with outstanding information search.
Nextstop is just coming out of its beta stage, so it may be a little light on information volume, but all indications are that it will be a tremendous value to travelers very soon. Nextstop is a recommendation-based search website that delivers focused information gathered by people, not mass data collected by computers. The Nextstop overview explains why this is so important. After all, why sift through stes about things that real people think are irrelevant?
So here is how it works. Suppose you have a business trip to Denver, which is an excellent choice since Extended Stay Hotels has fifteen great places to stay. Once you’ve settled into your comfortable studio, dinner may be on your mind -- but you are on a diet. And although your room comes equipped with a full kitchen, you haven't had time to buy groceries.
No problem. Fire up Nextstop.com and enter “Denver” in the search window. Then choose “healthy” under the list of keywords. Now just pick from a list of restaurants recommended by fellow travelers who wanted to share their amazing find.
And this is the real difference between Nextstop and other sites offering search. You are getting the recommendation by people, much like you, who have experienced the food, service or overall experience.
As an interactive site, you can help expand the site’s value and encourage other road warriors to recommend the best things to do, places to visit and places to eat. It is even designed to limit unwarranted recommendations.
Whether you travel for business or pleasure, Nextstop should be your next stop after checking into one of our comfortable Extended Stay Hotels.
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.
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.
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.
