Hotels

Hotel news and reviews.

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Earplugs on the Nightstand – A Quick Poll

Interesting fact #1:  The last two hotels I have stayed in have had earplugs strategically placed on the nightstand when I checked in. Interesting fact #2:  I have ended up with disruptive noise from the room next door to me on my last two hotel stays. Coincidence?  Or correlation? In the case of the first…

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Hotel Reviews – Sheraton Sonoma County Petaluma

For me, some hotels will always be places where I primarily sleep, no matter the purpose of my trip. Doing hotel reviews for properties like this becomes a bit skewed when no matter what the purpose of my trip, I see the same things on the property each time. The Sheraton Sonoma County Petaluma, in…

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Tip Not Included Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does

I was a waitress for several years.  And because of that work, I often HATE being part of a large group in a restaurant. I know at some point during dinner, my server is likely to be fantasizing about the multiple cocktails they will need to have that evening to recover from the torture of…

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Hotel Reviews – Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel

Airport hotels. *sigh* From my recent reviews, you would think I lived in them. Oh wait, that is because I practically do. Alrighty then. The Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel is another one of those properties where I’ve had a number of stays across several years. I love it for both its convenience (a short hop…

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Should You Preregister for Loyalty Programs “Just in Case”?

I’m the queen of my routine. I domestically fly (almost exclusively) American Airlines, US Aurways, and Alaska Airlines. If I stay at a chain hotel, its going to be of the Hyatt, Starwood, Marriott, or Hilton persuasion. And if I cruise, its likely to be on Seabourn. Because of that, I haven’t been one to…

Rumor Has It….

Rumor has it that Richard Branson is expanding into hotels. Actually that part is fact. But in the viral marketing campaign for the new brand, Branson is encouraging individuals to start their own rumor about what the new brand will deliver. The rumors have been running rampant on Twitter… I’d pay extra for that service!…

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Hotel Reviews – Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

A recent stay at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis illustrated to me how a hotel renovation can turn a tired business space into a fresh brand vision. I’ve stayed at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis every couple of years for the last decade to attend an annual trade event that regularly rotates through various cities.  My last stay was…

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Hotel Reviews – Hyatt Place West Palm Beach

I sometimes experience a strange sense of deja vu when checking into a chain hotel.  “Have I been here before?”, I wonder.  The Hyatt Place West Palm Beach is NOT one of those properties where this happens.  It won’t happen for anyone because it’s distinctive enough as a downtown-styled Hyatt Place property that it stands out…

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Hotel Reviews – Sheraton Suites Market Center Dallas

The DFW Metroplex is geographically a very large area.  That fact is something I regularly have to remind out of town friends when they visit.  When I moved to Fort Worth seven years ago, many of them thought it was simply a matter of moving to a new neighborhood.  It wasn’t.  While my home airport…

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Learning to Say “That’s Not Okay” – The Art of Complaining

I read a lot of travel message boards and blogs.  Its somewhat of a necessity when you travel regularly and need to be a content expert while doing so.  And as I do so, I’m sometimes surprised at how much people complain about little things.  But I’m working on my own skills with saying “that’s not…