My bed at the W Westwood in Los Angeles, CA

I don’t travel well, especially when it comes to getting to sleep in a strange bed.  Besides my inherent fear that someone will break into my room, there’s always the lovely sounds of hotel neighbours to rouse me before I actually get to sleep.

Having just returned from the hip and happening W Westwood in Los Angeles, (where I must admit I felt 100 years old just like last time, more on that later), the first article I wanted to write was this one.  You know, for next time.

So, if you’re a restless, weary traveler, consider the following:

1 ) When checking in or booking the room, ask to be placed at least 2 floors away from the hotel’s hot spot.  In the case of the W, make it 6 or more.  I was on the 4th floor and heard BOOM BOOM BOOM until 1 a.m.  Not ideal when I had to be up at 6.

2 ) Also request your room not be near the ice machines or the elevators.  Even if the mechanics of these areas are quiet, there will be the human element pouring off the lift or digging in the ice machine for just one. more. drink.

3 ) Unplug your phone or ask the hotel to put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode if possible.  No need for drunk dialers to wake you if you’ve already managed to crash.

4 ) Double check your alarm clock for obvious reasons.  You don’t want to be up at 4 a.m. unless it’s your flight you’re looking to catch.

5 ) Use ear plugs, if you’re so inclined.

6 ) If you’re the type to get up in the night to use the washroom or get a drink of water, make sure your foot path is clear and save yourself the trouble of getting up for water by leaving a glass of water at your bedside.

7 ) Close your curtains before bed.

8 ) If your neighbours are particularly rowdy, you could try calling the front desk but if that fails, don’t be afraid to pack it in and go to the front desk for a new room.  Personally I don’t mind the sound of happy party people.  For some reason I feel safer if I know there are people around.

9 ) If you’re going to watch television to fall asleep, set the timer for sleep mode.  That way you don’t wake up to the Slapchop dude screaming into your dreams.

10 ) If you don’t want hotel staff to wake you up in the morning, be sure to use your Do Not Disturb sign.

Personally I find having a couple of drinks at dinner gets me lubricated enough to slip into dreamland a little easier.  Hopefully sleep finds you at your destination!

Photo Credit: Karen Bodkin

I stayed in the W Hotel Lakeshore in Chicago, IL in 2007 for BlogHer, and it was the weirdest travel experience of my life.  My friend Sarah and I were thrown off completely by the shutter-like door and window (!) in the bathroom.  As modest women, we didn’t expect that every little noise would be heard by each other.  As it was, anytime either one of us needed the facilities, we were either full of giggles or embarrassed, or both.  What I did like about that bathroom was a well lit, pull-out magnified mirror to fix my makeup and pluck eyebrows.  Great idea.

The beds were super comfortable, and the wifi was spotty at best. What I didn’t appreciate was the $8 bottle of water taunting me late at night.  Eight bucks for a bottle of water is so out of line in my eyes I could barely stand it.  Couple that small expense with the $31/day for parking a car I never used the whole weekend and my wallet was screaming to go home by the time I left.

Rooms aside, the hotel lobby is BUSY 24/7.  Blaring music, a bar, and a party atmosphere means tipsy, obnoxious people at all hours.  Using the public restroom off the lobby meant, as a woman, subjecting oneself to scrutiny by the men’s bathroom, via one way mirror.  Sure, the warnings are there to tell you you’re being watched, but my goodness, is that really necessary?

Having said that, the service was impeccable.  Whatever/Whenever service, they claim:

Impeccable service? We’re all about it 24/7. Just push a button on your phone to reach our Whatever/Whenever desk. Ask and you shall receive. Need a reservation anywhere in the city? Perhaps a bathtub filled with chocolate milk? Whatever you want. Whenever you want it. It’s all just a phone call away.

You wanted something, you got it.  It may have cost you an arm and a leg, but The W is very good at slipping your money away from you while showing you a great time.  Now I wonder what that W really stands for?

I’m heading to L.A. soon and will be put up at The W Westwood.  Yes, of course I took out a second mortgage so I can afford a few drinks!

Photo Credit: Kvetch Blog

Swine Flu, regular influenza, colds, sinus infections, and more lurk everywhere the public is.  Here are a few tips to keep you healthy while traveling and staying in hotels.  Even the swankiest hotels have germs lurking all over.

The Obvious:

1 ) Wash your hands.  If you aren’t washing your hands before eating, and every time you return from being in public, than you already put yourself at risk for contracting and spreading germs.  My 5 and 10 year old know to wash their hands as soon as we return from the supermarket, the shops or school and I don’t even have to prompt them anymore.  I can’t remember the last time either one of them had a cold.

2 ) Get enough sleep.  It’s sometimes difficult to get enough sleep when you’re flying at odd times or partying it up at a resort.  Try to grab a nap when you can and say no to ‘just one more drink’ at the pool bar.

3 ) Drink enough fluids.  It’s very easy when you’re busy running through an airport or vacationing to become dehydrated.  Try to get your water in where you can.

4 ) Try to get a workout or a walk in every day or every other day that you’re gone.  It will reduce stiffness from traveling, and make you feel better.

5 ) Wear flip-flops in your hotel room, including the shower.  Who knows when the carpet was last cleaned?  Avoid plantar warts and fungus by keeping your feet safe.

The Not-So-Obvious But You’ll Probably Think I’ve Lost My Mind:

6 ) Don’t use the hotel’s hot tub.  Hot tub’s often carry bacteria that cause the skin rash folliculitis.  Not afraid of a pesky skin rash?  Okay, how do you feel about breathing in the bacteria-filled air and developing pneumonia or bronchitis?  How about a UTI?  It’s more common than you think.

7 ) Use your flip flops in the pool.  (See #5)

8 ) Lose the coverlet – put it in the corner.  They are washed about every 6 months, even in the 4 star hotels.  If you are cold, ask for another blanket.  Also, check your bed for bed bugs.  Wear socks, long pants and long sleeved shirts to bed to have minimal contact with the bed.  Bring your own sheets and pillow if you’re able. Do not eat in your bed.

9 ) Never EVER use the glasses provided in the hotel room, even if they are wrapped in paper.  Studies have shown staff cleaning and drying the glasses in the bathroom sink, without soap and with your dirty towel.  The towel you use to dry your body with. Pack a few paper cups to use while you’re staying.  Lastly, skip the ice machine.  They are teeming with germs, and often overlooked in the cleaning process.

10 ) Bring and use sanitizing wipes to wipe down light switches, doorknobs and the remote before you use them.

Photo Credit: Frugal Law Student

70 Park Avenue Hotel, New York City

I am a Priceline whore.

No.  Wait.

I am a Priceline ninja.

I have been using Priceline for years to book rooms at hotels I otherwise couldn’t afford.  Priceline’s name your own price feature allows me to indulge my champagne appetite on my RC Cola budget.  I’ve stayed in a deluxe room at the 70 Park Avenue hotel in New York City for $170 a night.  I’ve stayed at a 4-star hotel blocks from the Magnificent Mile in Chicago for barely more than $100 per night.

And yet, every time I suggest to a friend that they should try to name their own price on a hotel at Priceline, I get a terrified look of horror in response.

“But you don’t get to choose the hotel!”

“What if I end up in a dive?!”

“What if I have to pay for a room way out by the airport?!?”

Pansies.

Yes, Priceline’s name your own price feature comes with a certain amount of risk.  You have to input your credit card number and agree to pay for whatever room is given to you by whatever hotel accepts your offer.  There is, I admit, potential for disaster.

Unless you know what you’re doing.

How Not To Get Screwed Using Priceline To Book A Hotel

(And still save a ton of money on a fancy hotel)

1.  Research neighborhoods in the city you’ll be staying in.

If you’re booking a hotel in a large metropolitan city like New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles, Priceline gives you the option to choose from various neighborhoods or “areas”.  Head to a site like UpTake.com and research “Things to do” so you have an intelligent idea of where the tourist attractions are that you’ll want to stay near.

Reading reviews of hotels in the neighborhoods you’re considering will give you a good idea of how safe the area is and how convenient it is to major attractions.

Then, when you go to “name your own price” on Priceline, you’ll see a map that shows the various areas available – and you’ll know which areas would be a good fit for your vacation.

2.  Research prices.

The first step to getting a good deal on a hotel is to find out what everyone else is paying.  Again, using a site like UpTake or Priceline’s main booking site will give you a good idea of the average price for a hotel in the areas you’re interested in staying in.  Do not plan to pay the average price.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to start the actual bidding.

3.  Choose a higher star level than you’re willing to settle for.

I assume that a star rating on Priceline is overly generous.  Better to go in expecting a 4-star hotel and get too much luxury, than to find out that “continental breakfast” qualifies a hotel for a 3-star rating.  Just to be safe, I almost always request at least a 4-Star hotel when I’m bidding on hotels in a large city – even though my frugal princess head could surely survive a night on a 3-star pillow.

4.  Start with 1 or 2 areas and give yourself room to negotiate.

The trick to getting a great deal on a great hotel on Priceline is to give yourself room to go up.  If your original offer is rejected, you have to make changes to your request in order to resubmit.  One of the easiest changes to make is to add more areas to your offer.

So have 3 or 4 potential areas in mind that you’d be happy to stay in if you can save hundreds of dollars – but don’t tell them that unless you absolutely have to.  Your first offer should be your dream scenario.

5.  Start the bidding at 50% of the average price of a hotel.

Again, the key to negotiating with a computer is to play your cards close to your vest.  And I might be mixing metaphors here, but you get the idea.

There are times when you’ll get your first offer will be accepted and you can do the “Ha, ha, common folk!  I scored a great deal!” happy dance.

There are also times when your offer will be rejected and Priceline will be all “are you crazy?  You do know the average price of a hotel in this area is two times what you’re asking us to give you, right?”  Ignore these intimidation tactics.  Bid low and hope for the best.  If the best doesn’t happen, you’ll have plenty of room to go up and still walk away with a great deal.

6.  Have a stop loss point.

Remember all that research you did ahead of time?  Let it tell you when you’re no longer getting a screaming deal that’s worth assuming the risk of letting a computer blindly pick your hotel.  Saving $20 a night on a $250 room is not worth it.  Saving $50 per night over a 4 night stay?  Something to think about.

The bottom line is that Priceline’s name your own price feature is essentially a marketing gimmick meant to attract budget travelers.  But there is real potential there, if you book wisely, to save a considerable amount of money on a great hotel.

Shoot for the Ritz and plan to end up saving a little money on the Hilton.

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