by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

The Lowe Hotel, Point Pleasant, West Virginia

On a recent road trip I pulled into the little town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, conveniently located midway between Illinois and my North Carolina destination. In the center of Main Street, amidst scores of meticulously restored older buildings filled with cute shops, I discovered the Lowe Hotel, the only hotel in town.

I hauled my suitcase up the long marble staircase to the second floor, opened the door with an enormous skeleton key, and was delighted to discover a room decorated in antiques and outfitted with a queen-size poster bed. It didn’t take me long to climb beneath the fluffy quilt, prop myself up with two down pillows, and boot up my laptop. I was happily answering emails when the noises began. At first they were small creaking sounds and I paid them little mind – all old buildings make noises. Then just before turning off the light a very loud noise startled me. It sounded like a large, dry tree branch snapping in two and seemed to come from the television, which I hadn’t turned on. Puzzled, I dismissed it and went to sleep. Read More »

Choosing the right hotel for your traveling needs begins with considering what kind of traveling you’ll be doing.

I’ve already discussed booking a kid friendly hotel for family vacations.  On the complete opposite of the travel spectrum, we have the most exotic sounding and, typically, least enjoyable experience of traveling for business.

A hotel that is great for families is not necessarily great for business travel.  Finding a hotel that caters to the business traveler can go a long way towards making long days on the road and nights away from family more bearable – and more productive.

Hotels for Business Travelers – What To Look For

1.  Internet Access

When I travel for work (or rather, when I used to travel for work), the very first thing I ask about when I’m booking a hotel is Internet access.  Is it available in-room, or just via a business center?  Is it wireless, or will I be sitting at a desk plugged into an ethernet cord?  And, most importantly, how much is it going to cost me?

The best hotels for business travelers will have free wireless internet access in the hotel rooms.  At the very least, you’ll have the option to purchase wireless internet access at a reasonable rate.  When booking your room, be sure to ask if the hotel has a membership program that offers free internet to its members.

2.  Work area in the room

My favorite hotels to stay in for business are Embassy Suites.  This is primarily because most of their rooms offer a separate seating area with a large desk and comfortable chair – one that is actually designed to sit in for long periods of time.  Sure, I can check my email sitting on my bed with a laptop perched on my legs.  But if I have hours of work to do, I’d prefer the option of an actual workspace.

3. On-site restaurant

While I avoid hotel restaurants when I’m traveling with my kids, I tend to spend a lot of time in them when I’m traveling alone for business.  It’s nice not to have to hunt down a local restaurant for every meal, and it’s also a convenient meeting area for clients and colleagues you may need to meet with while you’re in town.

4.  Fitness center

If you’re used to exercising regularly at home, a business trip that messes up your workout routine can really affect how well you do your job.  Look for a hotel with a fitness center and make a point of using it at roughly the same time you would go to a gym at home.  The nice thing about traveling alone is that you won’t be leaving anyone alone in your room while you go sweat your stress off for 30 minutes on a cardio machine.

5. Rewards programs

If you travel often, make a point at staying at hotels that offer membership reward programs.  This is a lot easier today now that so many hotels are part of a larger “family” company, with all properties sharing points and perks.  Even if you’re not the one footing the bill, being able to prove you’re a repeat guest may entitle you to added benefits (like nicer rooms, and that free internet access) that will make your stay more enjoyable.

6. Avoid kid-friendly hotels

If a hotel provides great accommodations for a family, it isn’t automatically disqualified as being good for business travelers.  But if there’s an in-house water park and a 1500 square foot arcade, chances are good you’ll hear the pitter patter of little feet running up and down the halls outside your door in the middle of the night.

The key to making the best of business travel is to make yourself as comfortable as possible.  No hotel will be quite like home, but choosing hotels that cater to the specific needs of the business traveler makes a difference.

What tips do you suggest for other business travelers?

Pittsburgh PA

First off, let me begin by saying that the Crowne Plaza Airport hotel near Pittsburgh,. Pennsylvania has a great bar tender. It was really slow the night we went in, and she was about to close, but she stayed open because I told her I was bringing two more people down. How’s that for service?

Second of all, this hotel is CLOSE to the airport, but not completely on top of it like some other hotels might be. There’s a shuttle that leaves every thirty minutes and takes you there, so no worries.

The room was plenty big, and I had a great window that looked out upon the PIttsburgh (well, Corapolis) skyline. A huge thunderstorm came in and lightning hit the three tall buildings in front of me aobut thirty times, no exaggeration. So that was exciting!

There’s a little Italian restaurant in this hotel which I didn’t have the chance to try, but it always had people in it. If you have a thing for pilots, definitely stay here, the place was crawling with them.

Nothing fancy here. Just a solid hotel close to the airport with very friendly bar tenders. The pool table is fun too.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orblivio/37001473/

RIU Palace in Cancun Mexico

I’m a fan of the all-inclusive resort vacation. It’s a truly relaxing way to spend a long weekend, or even better, a week, recharging your batteries and lounging by a pool. You know in advance exactly when and where you’ll get your next meal, drink, and spa treatment, and how much everything will cost.

And you can still add an element of adventure by taking day trips off the property and seeing something of the world beyond the walls of the resort. For a family on a budget — which is all families, right? And not just now, right? — and less-experienced travelers, the right resort can equal vacation perfection.

Like all hotels these days, you can also find some jaw-droppingly good deals if you look around. My sister just took a trip to Cancun and stayed at the Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas. She came home raving about it, especially the “signature liquor dispenser” in every room. She also loved the pools and beaches, and that there was a gym where she could work out every day.

She was so excited about her hotel find that I had to check it out myself, from a professional perspective. And my kid sister was right! RIU has gorgeous properties all over the world, with several in Mexico, where they’re even having a huge summer sale!

At select resorts in Mexico, kids under 12 stay for free with their parents — two kids per two adults. The offer is good between June 26 through August 22, 2009. The rates per person are already super affordable, under $100 per person — and remember that all inclusive means food, drinks, sodas, nachos at 2am, seconds on dessert, you name it. Plus all kinds of entertainment, all day long and into the night.

The pool at RIU Emerald Bay, Mazatlan

Let’s face it: for a nine year old kid, the best vacation ever is one where you can whoop it up in the pool for a week, while your parents are enjoying Afternoon Margarita Mellowness.

The resorts included in the deal are:
·    $82 at Riu Emerald Bay (Mazatlan)
·    $89 at Riu Santa Fe (Cabo San Lucas)
·    $75 at Riu Jalisco (Riviera Nayarit)
·    $89 at Riu Playacar (Playa del Carmen)
·    $90 at Riu Caribe (Cancun)

Rates above are per person, per night, based on double adult occupancy and up to two children who stay free.

If you want more information, or you’re just ready to book it, visit the RIU site which has tons more information and photos.

Related: Beach Walk Restaurant, JW Marriott, Cancun; Club Med Cancun Yucatan.