Nanford Guesthouse, Oxford

I’ve been dreaming of a trip to England, but I keep hearing horror stories about the hotel rooms. First it was that article about the scary things you’ll find in a budget hotel room. Now TripAdvisor has released their annual list of the ten dirtiest hotels in Britain.

Let me tell you, when they say dirty, they’re not talking about porno mags stuffed under the mattresses. If only it was that innocent. But no. Tiny, flithy rooms, where you’ll find other people’s leftover pills on dirty carpets that are never vacuumed by the brutish thugs who run the place. And of course, the blood stains. The horror!

Seven out of the ten are in London, with one each in Brighton, Manchester, and Oxford — home of the Nanford Guesthouse, which has the dubious honor of appearing on the list for the third year running.

Of course, they’ve only had the list for three years.

Just to be fair, TripAdvisor also shares the love internationally, naming the worst hotels in America, Italy, Spain and France.

Which American hotel made the cut? The Hotel Carter in New York City, conveniently located near Times Square. UpTake users give it a big two stars out of ten, so no complaining when you get there and find a dead prostitute in the bathtub.

Disneyland

This economy is really tough, and many families are struggling to make ends meet and still sneak in a family vacation this year. Disneyland is by no means a cheap vacation, but it can be done more cheaply than many people realize. The first thing to remember is that there are many hotels within walking distance of Disneyland which can save money on exorbitant parking fees and the extra money the Disney hotels charge for being “on-site.” In fact, in many cases, the following hotels are actually closer to the park itself than some of the “on-site” hotels mentioned on the Disneyland website! And most of these are between $85-$130/night, depending on the season.

Carousel Inn and Suites

This one’s within easy walking distance of Disneyland – it’s right across the street. There are two and three bedroom suites, so it’s great for families. The rooftop swimming pool is perfect for summer! Free parking, and free breakfast.

Howard Johnson Plaza

Just a clean, simple and easy place to stay within walking distance of Disneyland. Free parking again, as well as free high-speed Internet access. There’s a pool and hot tub, too. Take advantage of the on-site restaurant and save your money for the Disneyland money traps!

Candy Cane Inn

This is a really cute property. The more expensive rooms allow you to have breakfast in bed. It’s very close to Disneyland, definitely walkable. Free parking again, a hot tub, and free breakfast in the morning. One of my favorites for sure.

Alpine Inn

This place tries to make you feel like you’re in a ski resort, which is kind of neat in the middle of summer. It’s incredibly close to Disneyland, about a 1-minute walk. It’s really clean, parking and breakfast are free and you can bring your laptop – high-speed wireless Internet is available, though they charged a small fee the last time I was there.

Fairfield Inn Anaheim

Nothing too fancy here, but this one’s also within walking distance of Disneyland. It’s a little more pricey thank some of the others, but you can use the fitness center at the Anaheim Marriott that’s 1/2 a mile away, there’s free parking and you get high-speed Internet access. There’s a pool and hot tub too.

Disneyland Chip'n Dale statue

Photo Credits: Dave Q, LDCross

Hotel bed

Here are some tips and tricks for saving money at  hotels that Budget Travel Magazine recently published in a little flier they sent out. I thought most of the tips were really great, and I know that I’ve made good use of some of them already.

1. AAA Discount

Yes, always ask for one – but better yet, if you walk into a hotel without a reservation, or if you call one up, don’t tell them that you have AAA until AFTER they quote you a price. Sometimes, hotels try to be sneaky and quote you a AAA price when it’s actually the regular price.

2. Check out Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus

Make good use of city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus! For example, Orlando’s office has what’s called a “Black Book” which has cut-rate offers phone in by local hotels which are desperate to book their hotel for the night.This will save you a lot of money – money you can then spend on places like Disney World!

Universal Studios in Orlando Florida

3. Are phone calls really free?

Always ask if phone calls and breakfasts are included for *free*. Never assume it is. Mid-range hotels usually include stuff like that for free, but more expensive hotels will often charge you for it.

4. Web-only rate for the win!

Always, always check the hotel’s “web-only” rate. It’s usually cheaper than what you’ll get by simply calling the property directly. I also find that, nowadays, most hotel’s online website are very competitive, if not cheaper than, the sites like Hotels.com because those site tend to charge fees.

Happy hotel hunting!

Photo Credits: Rich Moffitt, szlea

Like Tom Hanks in that movie The Terminal, we’re still in airports. So far we’ve been to SFO and O’Hare, and today we’re heading to Pacific Northwest, the home of Sea-Tac, a.k.a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Sea-Tac is a fair distance from downtown Seattle, and you have to drive through notoriously bad traffic to get there. If you have an early morning flight, or you’re traveling with kids (big or small), a night at an affordable hotel can get your holiday off to an early start. It might also help you avoid a headache!

You won’t find much in the way of luxury accommodations in the Sea-Tac area, but you do have your choice of the major hotel chains.

Marriott Hotel SeaTac

This Marriott is is probably the fanciest hotel you can find near Sea-Tac. It’s very geared toward the business traveler, with meeting rooms, wifi and a full business center with copy and fax service.

Seattle Airport Marriott room

There is a beautiful atrium with an indoor pool, and a lounge if you want to stay dry but wet your whistle.

Seattle Airport Marriott atrium pool

Seattle Airport Marriott atrium lounge

The rooms are spacious and well appointed, with new beds, duvets, and flat panel tvs. Suites are available, with standard rooms starting at $119.

Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites

Located one mile from the airport, and more geared toward the one night stay traveler, this hotel is less beautiful than the Marriott, but has a laundry list of amenities, including on-site laundry, valet service and dry cleaning services. You can also take advantage of the the free airport shuttle, make a quick meal in your room at a kitchenette or enjoy the complimentary breakfast.

Holiday Inn Express Sea-Tac

Rooms are about what you’d expect — no gorgeous decorations, but some kitchenettes have full sized refrigerators and you have enough room to spread out and repack before the flight out or home. Rates start around $99.

Holiday Inn Express Sea-Tac double room

Super 8 Motel of SeaTac

If you really just want a bed with clean sheets, then you can count on the Super 8. The rooms are basic — queen size beds, TV with HBO, and “an alarm clock in every room.”

Super 8 Sea-Tac room

For $80 a night you get the room, a free 24-hour shuttle to the airport, complimentary breakfast, and pets are allowed. No frills, no fuss.

Super 8 Sea-Tac breakfast room