STAY DETAILS
December 27-29, 2009
Townhouse suite with continental breakfast
Rate: $89/night promotional rate at MillStreetInn.com

I highly recommend this inn for the location, comfortable bed and very friendly staff.  The inn was nicer than many of the Hyatt’s, Marriott’s, or Sheraton’s we’ve stayed at.

We got the holiday season special.  The rate was for a junior suite (the smallest suite at the all-suite Mill Street Inn).  But when we checked in, we were upgraded to one of their biggest suites, a Townhouse suite!

LOCATION
The location is great.  It is in downtown Newport and just a block and a half off Thames St.  Being able to park our car at the inn’s parking lot and walk to places is a huge plus in Newport.

PREMISES
The Mill Street Inn is a historic hotel and you do see its historic charm outside.  But when you get in, you are greeted with modern decor and amenities.  In addition, the inn smelled great.  The lobby was small, but adequate for the number of rooms and guests it can accommodate.

There were 3 floors and basement.  The entrance to rooms were in the 1st and 2nd floors.  The 2nd level of the townhouse suites occupied the 3rd floor of the inn.  The basement had a room where they served breakfast during the colder months.  The ice machine was also located in the basement.  During warmer months, they served breakfast at the  rooftop patio with a view of the river and bridge.

Read on…

It’s been two weeks now since we came back from our trip to Cozumel, Mexico and I still haven’t posted any trip logs or review.  It was actually my laziest vacation ever, so I didn’t really take pictures.  I just dove, ate, drank, relaxed, and slept.

I will definitely post a trip review, but I don’t think I’ll bother with my daily trip logs for this trip.  In the meantime, here are diver Mickey and surfer Snoopy.

Diver Mickey and surfer Snoopy in Cozumel, Mexico

They always come with us on our trips and of course they had to have a photo .

Ola! We’re in Mexico! Yup, you heard that right. We booked the trip before the Swine flu issue began. But we decided not to cancel. So here we are.

I will post my first trip log as soon as possible. But for now, I’m relaxing at our balcony after a day of diving

I just found this awesome idea from Bakerella about collecting sand from the places you’ve been and displaying them in pretty jars.  I usually collect magnets, but this sand thing is marvelous.

Don’t they look like spice jars?

Do you collect anything from your travels?

STAY DETAILS
September 28-29, 2008
1 king room with continental breakfast
Price: $84.10/night at DaysInn.com

I would definitely recommend this hotel for the price, location, convenience and the very friendly staff.

The rate we got was pre-paid and non-refundable.  You can get a refundable rate for more money.  If you want the option of cancelling and getting the money back, I suggest getting the refundable rate.  On the last day of cancellation, check if the cheaper non-refundable rate is still available.  If it is, book that and cancel the refundable rate.

LOCATION
The locatio is great.  The Days Inn Hyannis is adjacent to the Cape Cod Mall.  It is on Route 132 where a lot of businesses (i.e. restaurants, stores) are located.  There are several beaches 3-5 miles away.

PREMISES
The place looked dated and not very nice in the outside.  But when we got in, we were glad that the place was prettier inside and very clean.  The lobby was tiny, but it had a lounge area and a desk with a computer guests can use.

The building was two stories high.  Rooms on the first floor had patios and those on the 2nd floor had balconies.  We were only there for the night and I didn’t notice an elevator, I’m not sure.  There was ample parking outside that was free.

STAFF
The staff were the friendliest I’ve ever met.  They mingle and always acknowledge their guests.  The front desk were very eager to help and check-in and check-out was a breeze.

ROOMS
Our room (135) was on the first floor and very close to the lobby.  There was a sliding door to the patio.  We were able to park right across our room which was very convenient.  The room smelled great and looked clean.  There was only one night stand and lamps by the bed were propped up on the wall.  The room had a small fridge under the sink counter.  The bed was comfortable, but we’re not that finicky about beds.  The pillows were not too soft so they were a bit high which made my neck cramp a bit.  I’m not used to high pillows.

The bathroom was tiny and the sink is located outside the bathroom right by the door.  I don’t like this setup, but it is expected for hotels such as the Days Inn.  The whole bathroom was clean until I got nosy and tried to peak under the “round” plastic attached around the steel drain and the steel shower switch.  The area under the plastic around the steel drain was dingy and rusty.  Obviously, dirt gets trapped in there.  I don’t know why they have those “round” plastic flaps in there, but they better take it out or clean under it.

AMENITIES
Internet
There was free wireless internet access in the room and the speed was good.  You don’t need a password to access it.  I am not sure if there’s a charge if you use the computer in the lobby though.

Breakfast
Continental breakfast was served 6:30am to 11:30am.  It was your typical continental breakfast with toast, muffins, fruits, cereals, hard-boiled eggs, juices and coffee.  It was nothing special.  But the dining room was immaculate and everything was presented beautifully.  The staff replenished the items quickly and was always on the move.  But he managed to greet everybody that came in.

Pool
The hotel had both an outdoor and heated indoor pool.  Unfortunately we weren’t able to use it.

MY RATING: 

If you have stayed in this hotel, you can add your rating below:
[ratings]

Some of my friends swear by JetBlue: the seats are nice, there are screens infront of each seat, the airfare is cheap, courteous staff etc.

I really wanted to try JetBlue, but everytime I go somewhere, I find cheaper airfares from other airlines.  I’m not very particular about the seats for short flights (up to 7 hours) so I go with the cheaper fare.  When I fly longer than that, I usually use Asian airlines which are great, so I have no complaints.

Well, here’s something new but not so good about JetBlue.  Based on a research study performed by FlightStats, JetBlue is the most delayed major airline in August with on-time arrival of only 64.7%.  It is also the most delayed airline in July according to the findings of Department of Transportation.  Northwest tops the list with 85.3% on-time arrival in August.  The industry average is 77.3%.

And here’s bad news for my fellow New Yorkers – three of the four airports with the most delayed arrivals are from the New York City area.

(Source: SavvySugar.com)

STAY DETAILS
July 19-21, 2008
1 queen room, 1 handicapped queen room
Price: $129.99/night Government rate at Ramada.com

I’d probably recommend this hotel for the location, convenience and price for a Boston hotel.  But be warned about cleanliness.

You may get a cheaper rate walking in instead of reserving online.  There are hotel coupons in almost every rest stop in the highways to Boston.  However, it was peak season (summer) so we decided to reserve in advance.

LOCATION
The location is South Boston, but it was still convenient.  There was free scheduled shuttle to the JFK/UMass subway station (MBTA) and the airport.  There are restaurants on site, the Phillips candy/chocolate store and a family entertainment complex that had bowling, arcade, pool and more.  Stores such as CVS, National Wholesale Liquidator and other stuff, are just across the street.  There are beaches close by, but they were muddy.  The location is the best asset of this property, but that’s just about it.

PREMISES
The place had ample parking and seating in the lobby.  The hotel layout was very poorly planned.  Other reviewers complained that the hotel was a maze, and it was.  Even the front desk staff got confused.  To go to one side of the hotel, you will have to go through at least 3 doors.

STAFF
The staff were friendly, but they need to be more knowledgeable.  We had to switch rooms because the first rooms we had were too far from the exit and we had a handicapped kid with us.  A staff gave us wrong directions to get to the rooms, but he was apologetic.  The keys to one of the rooms weren’t working and I had to go back to front desk twice.  The front desk didn’t have a map of the area, only downtown Boston and Cambridge.

ROOMS
There was a strong smell in the rooms.  It looked like housekeeping sprayed too much air deodorizer to mask other smells.  I didn’t think the rooms were too clean.  One of the rooms we booked (handicapped) had poop in the toilet.  The other room was alright, but when we tried to use the extra pillows in the ‘closet’, they smelled like sweat.  We think housekeeping just stocked them in the closet without cleaning them.  The closets weren’t really closets, they were just a separate space with clothes rack and hangers.  One of the rooms had a desk, a small round table, two chairs, a tiny bathroom (with a tub), and the sink right outside the bathroom.  The handicapped room didn’t have the small round table.  It had a bigger bathroom, but with no tub.  The sink was inside the bathroom.  Air-conditioner was great, but it made some noise which didn’t really bother us.

AMENITIES
Pool
The pool was very small and goes from 4 to 9 ft deep.  I saw the lifeguard check the quality of the water every morning which was good.

Breakfast
Continental breakfast was included with the rate and was served from 6am-10am.  At the two days we were there, they didn’t serve the same ‘entree’.  The first morning, we had waffles which were delicious.  You could make your own waffle, but this wonderful lady (staff) offered to make them for those who want them.  The second morning, we had scrambled eggs.  On both days, there were bagels, bread, toasts, muffins, fruits, cereals, yogurt, juices, coffee.

Internet
There was free wireless internet access and the speed was good.  You would need to ask front desk for a password to access it.  If you plan to access the internet, take your laptop with you.  To use the hotel’s own computer to access the internet is not free.  I believe it was $7/hr.

MY RATING: 

If you have stayed in this hotel, you can add your rating below:
[ratings]

Believe it or not, it seems that a lot of brides are losing the wedding dresses when they travel and are unable to claim them.  Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama gets about 30 or more wedding gowns at a time!

Unclaimed Baggage Center takes unclaimed lost baggages and sells them at their store at a bargain.  A lot of the items are clothing and luggage of course.  But that shouldn’t stop you from looking around the whole store.  You will find other valuable items such as jewelry, cameras, art and more.

You’re probably asking why Unclaimed Baggage Center is able to claim baggages that are not theirs.  They legally could actually.  After airlines are unable to match the lost baggages to their owners, passengers can file for reimbursement for their lost baggages.  Once reimbursed, the passengers can no longer take claim to their lost items.

Click here for travel tips to prevent losing your baggages when you travel.  Click here for info on how to file a lost baggage claim.

Need a break from all the wedding planning and activities? 

Win a 4-day/3-night honeymoon to Jamaica from Couples Resorts and Brides.com.  Prize package includes 4-day/3-night accommodation for two, round-trip ground transfers, unlimited meals, snacks, gourmet dining, and alcoholic beverages, unlimited use of sporting equipment including instruction and more.  Click here to enter now.  Sweepstakes ends September 11, 2008.

STAY DETAILS
May 25, 2008
1 king room
$189/night at Sheraton.com, included 2 adult tickets to Six Flags New England (worth $80-$100) and self-parking (worth $9.95)

LOCATION
The Sheraton was right off I-91 (Exit 7). Businesses, stores, restaurants are just a walk away from the hotel. We got out of the hotel and walked around the area for dinner. The area was so quiet, with barely any people. It got scary when I noticed a lot of the stores were closed or shut down. I would prefer staying in West Springfield along RT-5.

We ate at Red Rose Pizzeria in Main St, an Italian restaurant 5 blocks away and we liked it. They had good food and huge servings. We spent $53+ for 2 people including tax.

PREMISES
The hotel lobby was a little dark, but very nice and clean. The rooms are situated around an indoor atrium. You can easily hear anyone talking in the hallways in the nearby floors because of the set up. But you don’t hear in the rooms. Check-in was a breeze and staff was friendly, but nothing out of the ordinary.

ROOM
The room was spacious, clean and smelled great. The carpet by the door had a couple of very small stains, but not very noticeable. Our room (room 1106) was very close to the elevator and had a view of the river and I-91. You could faintly hear the cars driving through by the window. But you won’t hear them by the bed. The Sweet Sleeper king bed was very comfortable.

AMENITIES
Pool:
The pool was located in the Fitness Center on the 4th floor. I was only able to see the pool area. The place wasn’t crowded. There were only 2 people swimming. The pool was 50’ long and 3’-5’ deep. It had 3 lanes. The area had a hot tub, cold tub, sauna, 2-3 shower stalls, water fountain, and an access to an outdoor balcony where you can sunbathe. The pool had too much chlorine in it that I had to cut my swimming short coz my eyes were burning. I didn’t have my goggles with me. My eyes were red and bothered me the whole evening.

Wi-fi:
You could get wireless internet connection in the room for $8.95/day. Don’t get it, it’s not worth it. Connection was horrible in our room. When John called the front desk to ask where the connection is better, they didn’t know. The connection at the Business Center was better, but still not good.

Parking:
Parking was $9.95/day for self-parking or $12.95/day for valet parking. I thought it wasn’t worth it, but I got it free with the package we got. As I said earlier, I would prefer getting a hotel in West Springfield by RT-5 for the location and most of the hotel there have free parking.

Newspaper:
Usually included in the room rate is a free daily newspaper. But you can get $0.75 credit if you cancel delivery of the newspaper by calling the front desk.

MY RATING:

If you have stayed in this hotel, you can add your rating below:
[ratings]