Let me be clear about this. The Howard Johnson Inn on International Drive in Orlando, Florida is not the Taj Mahal. I didn’t expect it to be. In fact, at $38 per night weekdays and $59 per night on weekends I expected it to be a bit of a dump. In truth, it was a tad rough around the edges. The carpet had a long cigarette burn; my TV remote only worked in the “up” direction when scrolling through the channels; the square table/desk had been placed in a corner that was devoid of any receptacle, making it impossible to plug in my laptop; and the room had been overly sanitized, to the point of making my throat sore.

Howard Johnson Inn on International Drive in Orlando, Florida

On the other hand, my room was well-equipped with thick, soft towels; upscale soaps; toothpaste; a mini-refrigerator; ironing board and iron; hair dryer; coffee pot; and keyless safe. Wireless Internet access was included in the price, as was a full breakfast. Other on-site amenities included a large pool, hot tub and sundeck with ample deck furniture, an exercise room, and Read More »

Whenever I book a hotel, I’m looking to get the most bang for my buck.

Actually, whenever I spend a buck on anything, I’m keeping my eye on the bang factor.  But there are some times when quality outweighs budget (like with toilet paper), and other times when price is the deciding factor (like with nail polish remover).

Oh, right, this is a hotel blog.

You can find a lot of information online (and on this site) about how to save money on hotels.  But for some trips, there are more important things to consider than price when choosing a hotel.  Of course, it’s never a good idea to pay more than you have to – but when do you let the bottom line rule your decisions, and when should you be willing to pay a little more for a hotel room?

When To Pay More For A Hotel

When Location Matters – If you’re visiting New York City and all of your must see tourist attractions are in Manhattan, it might be worth spending a little more to stay in Manhattan instead of staying out by the JFK airport.  Or, if you’re attending a conference that will require you to be some place from early in the morning until late into the day, it might be worth the extra money to avoid giving yourself a daily commute to and from your conference site.

When You’ll Be Spending Time In Your Hotel Room – When I visit a new city, my main focus is to see the city – not the inside of a hotel room.  However, when my husband and I get away to relax together, we’re more concerned with relaxing together than sight seeing.  If you’re planning a vacation to get away that will involve extensive down time inside your hotel room, the quality of the hotel room is something to take into account in your planning.

When You’re Pampering Yourself – Along the same lines as a romantic getaway with your loved ones, some vacations are taken specifically because you need a little extra pampering.  If this is your specific reason for traveling, make sure you get what you want out of the trip by investing in a hotel that will make you feel luxurious.  (At the very least, avoid the threadbare flea bag motels.)

When You’re Traveling With Children – Traveling with children is a whole different beast than traveling with adults.  Consider kid friendly hotels that will make your stay more enjoyable for your children and, as a result, the adults in your party.

When Safety is a Concern – Of course, personal safety should never be completely abandoned.  But it’s of special important if you’re traveling alone or traveling as a single adult with small children.  Also, if you’re staying in a major city, you need to be more aware of (and willing to pay for) properties in safe neighborhoods than, say, if you’re traveling to small town Iowa.

As much as I’m a proponent of traveling despite a tight budget, I’m just as passionate about making sure you have the travel experience that your heart desires.  In order to do that, you may need to pay a little more for the right hotel.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance): Photos8.com on FlickR, ukcountryhousehotelsandspas on FlickR

by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

By the time I rolled into the little mountain town of Cashiers, North Carolina, it was after dark. I’d been on the road for three weeks and I was dead tired. To top it off, although I’d been in Cashiers a few years earlier, I was almost totally unfamiliar with the town, had no reservations, didn’t even know where to find a hotel or motel, and was almost out of fuel. First things first, I decided. Pulling into the gas station in the center of town, I climbed out of my car and stretched to get rid of the kinks from a day of driving. While pumping gas, I scanned my surroundings and spied a cute-looking inn across the road, perched atop a hillside.

Laurelwood Mountain Inn entrance and main office

Luck was with me when I pulled into the Laurelwood Mountain Inn. The manager, Eric, was still on site through some fluke – normally he would have been long gone by this hour. I held my breath when I asked the price – from the look of the place, I expected it to be well above my budget. Imagine my surprise when he quoted me $80 per night. “Deal,” I said, delightedly. Even better, the motel provided free high-speed wi-fi.

The Laurelwood Mountain Inn has twenty-four absolutely charming rooms, suites and cabins. My standard room had a queen-size bed and was equipped with coffee maker, mini-refrigerator, cable TV, ceiling fans, air conditioner (although in the mountain air there was no need for it), and built-in writing desk. The recently remodeled room featured tongue-in-groove wooden ceilings and wainscoting with woodsy wallpaper borders adding a homey touch, and the brand spanking new bathroom had granite counter tops and a spacious shower with a great shower head that beat hot water down on my sore muscles.

Standard room

Standard room

What impressed me most about the Laurelwood Mountain Inn, other than the fact that is was one of the cleanest rooms I have ever stayed in, was the obvious thought that had been given to the guest’s comfort. Towels were soft and fluffy, a full complement of shampoo/conditioner/lotions were set out for my use, the bed was firm yet extremely comfortable; even the pillows were fluffy. And to my delight, when I propped myself up in bed and booted up my laptop to get my email, I found a plug right next to the bed (I am constantly amazed by the lack of electrical receptacles in seemingly modern hotel rooms).

Though I chose the most affordable room, the Laurelwood offers a variety of accommodations. Deluxe rooms have full kitchenettes and shower/tub combinations. Three lofted suites in a beautiful log building offers two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a full kitchen, whirlpool tub, cable TV, private balcony, air conditioning, and a large wrap around porch with rocking chairs. Finally, a beautifully isolated cabin has a private king bedroom, bathroom with tub/shower, full kitchen, living room with a romantic gas fireplace, spacious upstairs loft with two twin beds, screened back porch with rocking chairs, and a BBQ grill.

Laurelwood suite

Deluxe two bedroom cabin

In the morning, I happened to meet one the owners of the inn, Bob Dewes. In June of 1995, after spending many years in the corporate rat race, Bob and his wife, Lise, gave up the big city life, moved to the mountains, and purchased the motel. In addition to providing wonderful accommodations, the Dewes are also experts on the area of the Blue Ridge Mountains in and around Cashiers and are always happy to help guests plan activities such as horseback riding along local mountain trails, golfing, fishing, whitewater rafting, antiquing, shopping and more!

Located deep within the Nantahala Forest, Cashiers sits within a glittering emerald valley encircled by 5,000-foot high peaks. Sunshine streams down through crisp pine-scented air, illuminating the distant craggy stone faces of the surrounding mountains, and pine-scented air lures visitors into the surrounding woods, where spongy footpaths carpeted with last winter’s detritus follow rushing creeks to thundering waterfalls. I’ve tried – and failed – to imagine a destination more alluring than Cashiers, North Carolina, or a more perfect mom and pop motel than the Laurelwood Mountain Inn.

Photos courtesy of the Laurelwood Mountain Inn