Having to fly unexpectedly to Scottsdale, Arizona recently for a family emergency, I found myself scrambling to locate a hotel with enough amenities to satisfy my parents and my wildly diverse siblings with their extended families.  Not being familiar with the area, but wanting to get a hotel with the basics to satisfy me, I can report that the Wingate by Windham in Scottsdale is where I plan to return to whenever I am back in town.

Plush Beds @ Wingate Scottsdale AZ

The Wingate by Wyndham is part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of hotel brands that includes Ramada, Days Inn, Travelodge, Howard Johnson and more.

This Wingate is targeted to the business traveler, with a 24 hour fitness room that I used daily, and a well stocked breakfast set up every morning from 6:00 until 9:00. I stuck to the cereal and eggs, but my sister raved about the “make your own waffles”. With the heat, my brother skipped the gym and used the pool. He swam every morning, reporting to me how nice and clean the water was.

Great Equipment & Television in the 24 Hour Fitness Room

They offer great deals for seniors and AAA members.  We had nicely appointed queen rooms for $89 a night.  My room had two queen beds and huge flat screen LG television.  With my sister in a room on one side of me and my mother on the other side, how quiet my room was at night was perfect.

Neutrogena Products & Fluffy Towels

We all agreed that the Moen Revolution showerhead was a nice perk and my father loved how new the ironing board and iron were. He likes a a very sharp crease in his pants. Each room has a single-cup coffeemaker with Wolfgang Puck coffee that comes in handy if you stay up late like my niece or get up at the crack of dawn, like my mom.

With members of my family unable to drive but needing to get to the mall and other destinations, we were pleasantly surprised by their free shuttle service. They have a few vans available from 7:00 to 7:00 everyday, that will take you anywhere you want to go within a 5 mile radius of the hotel. Amanda, one of the front desk agents drove us a couple of times and expertly got us to our destination. Given my parents back seat driving and the hundred temperatures, I couldn’t tip her enough.

Make Your Own Waffles!

The Phoenix Airport is too far but the Scottsdale Airport is close enough use their free shuttle.  If you need to print your boarding pass, they have a 24 hour Business Center too with free internet access and printer.  The Wingate by Wyndham in Scottsdale has an amazing staff who offered our family so much warmth. If you travel to Scottsdale for business, a round of golf or maybe a girls spa weekend, this hotel is in a great location off the 101 Loop.

All photos taken by my iPhone.

Now you can book a room in NYC and have enough left over to hail a few cabs

According to a recent article in the New York Times, hotel rates in Manhattan have been drastically reduced to counteract sagging occupancy rates.

Now, the New York Times is concerned with whether or not this is a wise move for hotel operators.  They question whether this will actually attract new visitors and ultimately improve the financial health of Manhattan properties.  The article discusses whether there are better alternatives for hotels to entice guests to stay.

I, personally, don’t care if it’s good for the hotel industry or not.

I am simply thrilled that the end result makes Manhattan a more affordable place to visit.

Hotels in Manhattan are, on average, cheaper to book than they were a year ago.  That’s good news for budget conscious travelers with an eye towards the Big Apple.  Period.

How much cheaper?

According to the New York Times article, the average price for a Manhattan hotel room in 2008 was $280 per night.  The average hotel room rate for 2009 is $198 per night.  Spread that out over a 3 night stay, and you’re saving almost $300 for the exact same hotel stay.

You’ll find comparable savings if you choose to stay in a luxury hotel in Manhattan.  Rates for luxury hotel rooms in Manhattan have gone from a 2008 average of $401 to a 2009 estimated average of $289 per night.  Now might be the best time to finally splurge on a little New York City luxury, if your budget will allow it.

How long will these savings stick around?

Obviously, no one can say for sure, and even estimated guesses are still just guesses.  But experts predict it will take years before hotels can get their rates back up to pre-economy crisis levels.  While customers will happily jump on a good deal, they’re much more reluctant to go along with rapidly increasing prices.

The bottom line is this:

If you’ve been considering a trip to New York City, now is a great time to finally book the trip.

Photo Credits: Miss Britt on FlickR

Maine Fall Foliage

It’s August 31, and that means that in the very Northeastern part of our country, including in Maine, temperatures are already starting to drop and leaves will start to change in just a couple of weeks. The first foliage reports for Maine begin around September 15, so you’d better get moving!

Check out these Maine-area hotels and bed & breakfasts for cozy, warm places to stay during your leaf peeping jaunts. I tried to pick ones that have some character.

Northwest and Northeast Maine Hotels (Hurry! Peak foliage is as early as September 30)

Old Iron Inn – adorable B&B, looks like  big red barn!

Northeastland Hotel – great location, friendly staff

Central Maine Hotels (Peak foliage is around second week in October)

Second Street Bed & Breakfast - class Colonial home, about 30 minutes from Augusta

Ware Street Inn – classic bed & breakfast

Mountain Village Inn – more of an estate feel, gorgeous surroundings

Southern/Coastal Maine Hotels (Peak foliage is second half of October)

Greystone Bed & Breakfast – close to the water, 1840 Greek Revival home with large rocking chair porch

Brunswick Inn on Park Row – routinely rated one of Maine’s best

Hopefully, these Maine hotels and Bed & Breakfasts will get you started. Book soon though, the season is changing quickly! Can’t stop thinking about having some clam chowder on a big rocking chair front porch at one of these hotels…

Photo Credits: Flickr (Arindam)

The 2009 Gold Key Award winners for ‘Excellence in Hospitality Design’  have been announced, and the world’s best hotel designs (urban) were judged to be the Andaz West Hollywood, InterContinental Chicago O’Hare and Las Alcobas in Polanco, Mexico. 

Andaz West Hollywood & Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare

 The best bar/lounge design was the W Hotel Atlanta Downtown, Atlanta, GA, along with the Mondrian Miami and the Punk Bar in Beijing, China.

Drink Shop, W Atlanta Downtown

 The best guest room award winners included the Lydmar Hotel in Stockholm and the  Mondrian Miami, along with the Miraval Guestrooms in Catalina, Arizona.

Lydmar Hotel, Stockholm

 The best lobby/reception winners included the Smyth Hotel in New York and one of the  ‘Best Suite’ design winners was Penthouse Eight at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, also in New York.  

Tribeca Grand, New York

The Gold Key Awards are sponsored by Interior Design and HOTELS magazines, and finalists were selected by a panel of notable industry experts from more than 225 projects in 24 countries. The awards ceremony will be held during the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS) on Nov 7-10, 2009, at New York City’s Javits Center.

For more details about all the winners and their designers in all categories, visit IHMRS.com.

Photos courtesy Hyatt Hotels Corp., IHG Plc, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, WorldHotels and Grand Hospitality.