CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia

I love hotel sales, especially $100 off/night sales! The Ellis on Peachtree in Atlanta, Georgia is knocking off $100/night through August 31. That’s right – for only $105 plus tax, you can enjoy this hotel which normally costs at least $200/night.

So…is it worth it? I think so! The Ellis is smack in the middle of downtown Atlanta, within walking distance of the CNN Center, Coca Cola Museum, all that good stuff. And, the hotel recently underwent extensive renovations, so it now has a chic, boutique feel to the place. Comfy, though, not stuffy.

Parking kind of bites – you either park in a dingy garage or pay $22 of valet. But, that’s no so atypical of Atlanta. Just think about the money you’re saving on the room each night. With that said, though, you don’t need a car if you’re staying in downtown Atlanta. You can take the MARTA train from the airport to downtown, and this hotel is right across the street from a MARTA stop, which is super convenient.

Take full advantage of this hotel’s 4+ star amenities including bell hop service!

I say this place is cheap enough through August to warrant a one-night stay even if you live in Atlanta. Treat yourself or a special someone to a surprise night at one of Atlanta’s nicest hotels.

Photo Credit: Girolame

Hello, Cheap.

I have two passions in life.

Writing and traveling.

Unfortunately, Passion A has yet to produce the funds required to do Passion B in the manner to which I would like to become accustom.

Translation: I am too broke to travel the way I’d like to, but too stubborn to just stay my butt home.

As a result, I have had to learn how to travel on the cheap.  I firmly believe that money should not keep you from your passions.  Where there is a will, there is a way, and all that.

7 Ways To Save Money On A Hotel

1. Share a room. The easiest way to save money on a hotel is to split the bill.  Of course, this doesn’t work if you’re sharing a room with your spouse – so I highly recommend you convince them that traveling is stupid.  For your budget’s sake.

2.  The more, the merrier. The more people you shove in a room, the smaller your chunk of a bill is.  Don’t be afraid to cozy up to a girlfriend in a double bed.  Just be sure everyone brings pajamas.  See also: “you’re not too good to spend a night on the floor” and “that pull out couch represents one more person who can pay a share”.

3.  Name your own price on Priceline. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars by using the “name your own price” tool on Priceline.  Here’s an article on how to name your own price on Priceline without getting ripped off or sleeping in the slums.

4.  Eat the continental breakfast. Technically, this won’t save you money on your hotel bill, but it will take away from your overall travel expense.  And if you bring back a muffin for a midday snack, you receive the Official Cheap Traveler Ninja Gold Star.

5.  Book a hotel away from the tourist attractions, but on a bus line. If you’re staying in a city with great public transportation (like New York City), you can take advantage of drastically lower hotel rates by staying farther out from the “hot spots”.  Just make sure you’re saving more on your hotel than what you’ll pay for a subway pass or bus ticket.  Obviously.

6.  Get a credit card with hotel reward points. Visa and American Express (and others, I’m sure) offer membership rewards programs that allow you to use your points towards free hotel stays.  Now, I’m not suggesting you rack up credit card debt.  But if you have the financial discipline to do so, get a credit card that you use to pay bills, buy groceries, get gas, and pay it off in full each month – and save up for free travel bonuses.

7.  Join hotel rewards programs. Hotel rewards programs will also offer perks like free upgrades, reduced rates and, in some cases, free stays.  You’ll build up these points faster if you find a family of hotels that you like and stick with booking within that chain.

Do you find creative ways to stretch your travel budget?  What’s your top secret tip for saving money on a hotel?

Photo by psd on Flickr.

It’s not a good time to open a new luxury hotel, but the 582 room Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes, just outside Los Angeles, lasted all of 2 months before the ground caved in – the Terranea has gone into default with one of it’s lenders, and missed a chance to get a very essential tax rebate agreement from the City.

Terranea, Rancho Palos Verdes

The oceanfront luxury hotel and accompanying resort facilities – built on the former site of Marineland of the Pacific - opened it’s doors on June 12, 2009, built over a 10 year period by the Lowe Hospitality Group with a massive price tag of $480 million. 

 Terranea’s primary lender is Chicago based Corus Bankshares, a bank which is itself in serious danger of being taken into recievership by the FDIC. Corus has invested $180m in Terranea, but is now unable to offer any more financial support to the Terranea.

This financial muddle led to Terranea missing a deadline for enrolling into a tax rebate agreement with the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, for which it needed $12.5m. The agreement was apparently a very critical element of Terranea’s ability to remain financially viable, and it’s entire future is now at stake.

With $322 million in loans, struggling to keep it’s doors open due to lack of funds and support from it’s primary lender, the Terranea could quite possibly go into foreclosure, or be taken over by another entity.

The management says they’re talking to their remaining lenders – which includes Cascade Investment Co. which is controlled by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Cascade has filed a notice of default because Terranea has not been meeting it’s payments.

Photo courtesy Destination Hotels & Resorts.

The Cody Luxury Hotel, photo courtesy of The Cody's website and used with permission.

Typically, I write for the Uptake Vacations Blog. It is there that I’ve been regaling our readership with the tales, trials, and tribulations associated with an epic 3000 (well, 3026 when it was all said and done) mile road trip my husband and I took a few weeks ago.

When the opportunity arose to write about a truly awesome experience I had in one of the hotels we stayed in during our vacation, the kind editors at UpTake allowed me to cut loose wreak havoc tell you about it here, in the Hotels Blog.

My friends, if you are ever in Cody, Wyoming, please be sure to stay at The Cody. We were treated to a truly unparalleled experience that I will try to adequately describe for you, here.

First, the stats. The Cody is a green-friendly, luxury hotel that opened about a year ago. The 75-suite establishment offers amenities of the highest order – each room includes flat-screen televisions with DVD players, refrigerators, high-speed wireless internet access (free!), and beautiful western-themed decorations and furnishings. The free continental breakfast is more like a buffet, offering pastries, cereals, breads, fruit, coffee, juices, teas, and milk – served in a beautifully appointed dining room. Complimentary refreshments are also served every evening. An indoor pool and hot tub is available for use year-round, and spa services are also offered. The hotel is located just 45 minutes from the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park, and a mere five minutes from all of the entertainment, dining, and shopping that downtown Cody has to offer. The arena of the famous Cody Nite Rodeo is located just a few hundred yards up the road.

When I first walked into the lobby to check in, I was truly impressed with the atmosphere. The decor was chosen with care and reflects the western roots of the area. Local artwork was tastefully displayed, multiple sitting areas were scattered around for a quick rest or impromptu business meeting, and the overall impression I had was of a truly restful, elegant gathering area.

The staff was incredibly polite, efficient, and portrayed a real interest in ensuring our stay was a memorable one. Bags in hand, we followed the directions to our room. I was behind my husband, struggling with a bag, when he opened the door to our Jacuzzi King Suite. His slightly awed, “Oh, wow,” got me to hustle in behind him. I was greeted by this view (literally, I told my husband, “Freeze!” while I dug out the camera):

I can tell you right now that photos are not going to do this place justice. Standing at the door, what you see here is a writing desk to the right, where I set up my laptop. A fireplace (working!) with a buffalo head above it. A sitting area in front of the HUGE flat-screen television. To the left is a wet bar with a refrigerator and microwave. Directly across is the door to our balcony, and to the left of that is the king-sized bed that we literally had to climb into, and then sank into, each night.

The shot above was taken while standing in front of the fireplace. You can see the full bed, with the jacuzzi tub next to it (we took advantage of that both nights we were there). To the left of the jacuzzi is the entrance to the separate bathroom with full tub and shower (and even a bathroom scale, which I assure you, I avoided), outside of which (not pictured) is the dual-sink vanity and full-sized closet.

The shot above was taken while standing in front of the jacuzzi. It further demonstrates the size of the room, and the unique “Annie Oakley” themed decor.

Another example of the decor: the shot above is of a chair made of buffalo hide, and features an Annie Oakley scene imprinted upon it. Touches like this exist throughout the rooms and common areas of The Cody. I spent a good half-hour just wandering around our room and appreciating the furniture, the wall hangings, and the attention to detail in which The Cody excels.

Rates during the peak season range from $209 to $219 per night, and drop off to between $99 to $109 during the non-peak season. The hotel can also arrange package deals for some of the popular local attractions. AAA and other discounts can be applied, so be sure to call the hotel directly to get the best rate.

Suffice to say, we were actually sad to leave our hotel room when our stay in Cody was at an end. How often can a travelling person say that, truly?