Showing posts with label Hotels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hotels. Show all posts

Sunday, 30 March 2008

Holiday Inn Express - Jeffersontown, KY, USA

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
Location: 1620 Aliant Dr, Jeffersontown, KY, 40299, USA
Stayed: 12-Mar-2008 to 14-Mar-2008 - Two Nights

Room Type: 2 Queen Bed Non-Smoking with Sofa
Room Rate: $89.99 USD
Room Amenities: Coffeemaker, Fridge, Microwave, TV, Iron & Ironing Board, Small Table & Chairs, Desk

Access: Highway Suburban
Breakfast: Complimentary Express Start Breakfast
Floors: Four
Internet: Wireless Free
Parking: Outdoor Free
Swimming Pool: Indoor Heated, Hot Tub
Other: Elevators, Laundry
Nearby Amenities: Restaurants, Sam's Club; Grocery Store & Shopping about 5 minutes east, with two shopping malls about 10 minutes from the hotel.

Good: New hotel located off the highway with plenty of restaurants and gas stations nearby. Ample parking. Large room with lots of walking room and quiet air conditioner. Fast and courteous check-in. Only about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown Louisville. Staff were quick to respond to our needs and did a good job cleaning the room.

Bad: Fridge was unplugged, but Adam was able to plug it. Breakfast bar attendant not as attentive as other Holiday Inn Express hotels.

Overall: Location was excellent. Not as far as we thought. Holiday Inn Express has expanded their breakfast bar to include additional hot servings including scrambled eggs, omelettes, bacon and biscuits. Excellent wireless reception and easy to connect. The pool and hot tub were nice. Staff kept this hotel clean. Best beds we slept on.

Monday, 9 July 2007

Northern Vacation - Day 4

Sault Ste. Marie to Gaylord

Seems the boys like to sleep in when we are in hotels, so Tina and I take turns going to breakfast, which is a nice break from the hectic 'hotel life'. Tina went down first and brought some stuff up for the boys, who were just starting to wake up.

Each Holiday Inn Express has a standard line of breakfast items - cinnamon rolls, boiled eggs, bread, bagels, cereals and drinks. Some have additional items like omelettes, sausages, or local specialities like biscuits and gravy. Tina told me than had omelettes.

I went down and had a couple of warm omelettes, coffee, OJ, banana, toast and an omelette. It was tasty and filling. The boys finished their breakfast - cereal, oatmeal and whatever else Tina brought them. We packed up and checked out and headed to the Soo Locks Boat Tour dock. We arrived just before the 10:00 am departure. It was a overcast day - much cooler compared to when Tina and I took the same tour about six years ago. The boys seemed excited.

We arrived in the lock and Corbin was mesmerized by the rising water level. A friendly employee of the dock shook Corbin's hand when the boat was rising above the top of the dock. Jeremy was confused as to what was happening but seemed interested in the boat ride. About two hours later we arrived back at the dock. We were going to play some mini-golf, but Corbin had a small breakdown at the gift shop, so we nixed that adventure for now.

The last time Tina and I were in the Soo, we happened upon a small Italian restaurant, Ang-Gio's, on the main road into town. It's a fairly non-descript building in a plaza, but the food was amazing. We were hoping that the place was open for lunch - fortunately it was. I ordered fettuccine alfredo with fried mushrooms, Tina ordered fettuccine carbonara, Corbin ordered spagehtti, and Jeremy had a grilled cheese. We also ordered garlic bread with cheese. Our orders also came with a side salad.

The food came out quick and hot. The sauces are homemade and are downright sinful. They are rich but not in the usual overpowering way. I ate all my plate - there were plenty of mushrooms. Even the boys finished their meals. Tina was happy again. So we headed down to Mackinaw City.

It is about an hour's drive to Mackinaw City from the Soo. The drive was pleasant - sunny and warm with little traffic. We parked on the main road and proceeded to find a restroom because Corbin needed to go. With that out of the way we checked out the shops and bought a few things like candies and popcorn and some toys for the boys. After spending about an hour, we headed down to Gaylord, which is about one hour south of Mackinaw City.

We stayed at another Holiday Inn Express in Gaylord. We checked in and set out to find the Bavarian Falls adventure golf (mini-golf) - one of the things on this trip is that we were going to play mini-golf with the boys. After a round trip around the town, we found it. We got out clubs and balls and proceeded to play 18 holes of thoroughly enjoyable family time mini-golf. Corbin and Jeremy had to be told to sit a few times. Jeremy would have gotten a hole-in-one if Corbin didn't stop his ball from going in the hole. Everyone had a good time.

Before stopping at the hotel, Tina went to the Wal-Mart behind the hotel and got some pop and munchies. Back at the hotel, Tina supervised Corbin while he swam and I watched Jeremy.


Posted by Adam

Sunday, 8 July 2007

Northern Vacation - Day 3

Sudbury, Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

We managed to get some sleep, but it wasn't enough. So what did the hotel offer in return for booking us into a room they shouldn't have booked us into? One free breakfast. Yup. Though there were two adults (kids stay and eat free), they offered us one free breakfast for a lack of sleep. Unacceptable. We packed up and loaded the van. I stopped by the front desk and politely told the staff that I am not paying for last nights stay due to the circumstances and that the room offered was subpar. The manager was called up and reversed the charge. No apology. No nothing.

I don't understand why it seems that the level of service at Holiday Inn hotels differs from Holiday Inn Select or Holiday Inn Express hotels. It seems you get better service and amenities from the latter two than the Holiday Inn. I'll be sending an email to Intercontinental Hotels Group when we arrive back home.

Headed out to the Discovery Earth attraction. This is the location of the Big Nickel. When I last visited this place back in the early 80s, there was not much to the attraction other than the Big Nickel and few other things at ground level. Now there is a building with several galleries, a theatre and an underground mine.

The boys were in awe of the big nickel. Corbin wanted to take it with him and buy lots of stuff. He wanted to touch it, so I lifted him and he managed to get the bottom of it. Jeremy used the umbrella to touch it.

Inside, we checked in and booked a 10:30 am visit to the mine. While waiting to descend, there is a control room where kids (and adults) can talk to people in the mine, control a camera and control a digging machine. There is also a playground where kids can play with 'iron ore' bits (foam).

Eventually, we were called into the Miner's Dry - the room where Miners change into their work clothes. We entered the large glass elevator and were given a visual history of mining through an interactive film.

With our hard hats on, we walked into the tunnels, which are about seven stories below ground. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and made sure that everyone could see what was being talked about. Corbin obsessed about the tour guide's light, so he let Corbin hold it. The mine is divided into several sections and illustrates the evolution of mining over the past 100 years. The first section is a mine from the late 1880s, followed by the 1940s and finally the modern mine.

Corbin and Jeremy volunteered to insert 'dynamite' into blast holes and we were asked to go around a corner and stand on wooden platform. Then there was a blast and some shaking. In the modern part of the mine, we visited the lunch room aka the safe room. Then it was back to the elevator. The tour was about an hour long.

Tina and Corbin spent some time in the gift shop, where Corbin purchased some big nickels and gems. We walked over to the Earth Gallery where you can pan for gold, check out some minerals and learn about the history of the Sudbury basin. It was good way to get the day going, and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the place.

Saying goodbye to Sudbury,we headed out on Highway 17 to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Traffic was good and the weather was cloudy and sunny - not a bad day for driving. We stopped in Espanola for some KFC. Just past Bruce Mines, we pulled over at rest stop to stretch our legs, eat some food and use the facilities. After, about 3 or so hours of driving, we arrived in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

US Customs was backed up - it took about 30 minutes to get to the booth, where no problems were encountered. The Holiday Inn Express in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is located at the first interchange on I75 when you enter the US. We checked in and Tina headed over to the McDonald's beside the hotel to grab some food.

Posted by Adam

Saturday, 7 July 2007

Northern Vacation - Day 2 Part 2

Sudbury

Well, after a full day at Science North, we were looking toward relaxing at the Holiday Inn. We made a quick stop at a grocery store and headed back to the hotel.

At the hotel we 'dined' on leftover pizza and munchies. The boys watched a movie on the portable DVD player, I browsed the net and Tina read a book. Around 5 pm or so, we started hearing a loud noise - it was music. Oh, no. The music was coming from a wedding reception below us. Wonderful

Tina called the front desk to see if we could get a room elsewhere. Staff did not call right back which means that no similar or upgraded rooms were available. Eventually, they called back and offered a room with two doubles. I don't think so. The staff member did say that the rooms we were in were supposed to be 'off block' meaning that they were not supposed to be let out.

I took Corbin down to the pool while Tina played a few games with Jeremy. Coming back to the room the music had stopped. It started up an hour or so later and didn't stop till 1:30 AM.

Posted by Adam

Sunday, 10 June 2007

Traffic, Hotel and Other Follies

This weekend we all were supposed to go to Dunnville, Ontario and celebrate Tina's Godparent's, Bill and Lynn Bassingthwaite, 40th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, Jeremy was not feeling well, so Tina decided to take Corbin while I stayed in Windsor with Jeremy.

Tina and Corbin left Saturday morning and just made it in time to catch the beginning of the service - seems traffic through Hamilton was way busier than her or I thought it would be. Corbin had a great time at the reception afterwards. But that was about where the fun ended. Tina searched for a hotel or motel and could not find anything until London. She checked in the Holiday Inn Suites for the night. Corbin and Tina had their own queen size bed. I was glad to hear they found a place to spend the night.

Jeremy and I had a good day. I cleaned up around the house and played with Jeremy on and off. We watched some TV and I read him some books at bed time. He asked if we could go to the Maple Leaf for breakfast, and I said sure thing.

Posted by Adam

Friday, 11 November 2005

Comfort Inn & Suites - St. Johnsbury, Vermont

Hotel: Comfort Inn & Suites
Location:
703 Route 5 South, St. Johnsbury, VT, 05819, USA
Stayed: 01-Jul-2005 to 03-Jul-2005 - Two Nights

Room Type: 2 Queen Beds Non-Smoking with Sofa Bed
Room Rate: $99 USD (Government Rate)
Room Amenities: Coffeemaker, Fridge, TV, Iron & Ironing Board, Small Table & Chairs, Desk
Room Number: 116

Access: Highway
Breakfast: Deluxe Continental included
Floors: Four
Internet: Wired
Parking: Free surface
Recreation: Large indoor heated pool, Whirlpool, Sauna, Outdoor patio
Other: Elevator, Video arcade, Laundry room
Nearby Amenities: Shopping, Movies, Restaurants in downtown St. Johnsbury

Good: Located right at Exit 20 on I-91; Excellent recreational facilities including a large indoor pool and a video arcade; Ample surface parking; Large rooms. Excellent check in and check out.

Bad: Temperature of pool was cool - would hardly call it heated.

Overall: Great location. Only 45 minutes from Canadian border; about 30 minutes to Santa's Village and 15 minutes to Littleton, New Hampshire. Cannon Mountain is about 30 minutes to the southeast. This was the first day of our vacation out east and we wanted to cover as much ground as possible (Brantford, Ontario to St. Johnsbury - 870 km/540 miles). So we decided to stay the two nights at this hotel and use the first night to recover from the long drive. It was a wise decision and with the great facilities at the hotel, it was a great start to our vacation.

Sunday, 6 November 2005

Holiday Inn Express - East Greenbush (Albany), NY, USA

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
Location: 8 Empire Drive, East Greenbush, NY, 12144, USA
Stayed: 09-Jul-2005 to 10-Jul-2005 - One Night

Room Type: 1 Queen Bed Non-Smoking with Sofa Bed
Room Rate: $92 USD
Room Amenities: Coffeemaker, Fridge, TV, Iron & Ironing Board, Office Chair & Desk, Clothes Steamer
Room Number: 123

Access: Highway
Breakfast: Complimentary Express Start Breakfast including omelets, bacon & hard boiled eggs
Floors: Three
Internet: Wired free
Parking: Outdoor free
Recreation: Indoor pool, Whirpool
Other: Elevator, Business Center
Nearby amenities: Restaurants, Shopping

Good: Easy access from I-90; One of the best continental-style breakfasts around, includes the awesome Express Start cinnamon rolls AND omelets, bacon and hard-boiled eggs.

Bad: No in-room microwave

Overall: Excellent hotel to spend the night on a long trip back to Canada. The breakfast is top-notch.

Tuesday, 1 November 2005

Super 8 Motel - Truro, NS, Canada

Hotel: Super 8 Motel
Location: 85 Treaty Trail, Truro, NS, B2N 5A9, Canada
Stayed: 05-Jul-2005 to 06-Jul-2005 - One Night

Room Type:
2 Queen Bed Non-Smoking - 2nd Floor
Room Rate: $110 CAD
Room Amenities:
Coffeemaker, Fridge, Microwave, TV, Iron & Ironing Board, Small Table
Room Number: 218

Access: Highway
Breakfast: Continental included
Floors: Two
Internet: Wired
Parking: Outdoor Surface
Recreation: Indoor Heated with Water Slide & Hot Tub
Other: Elevator
Nearby Amenities: Restaurants, Movies, Grocery Store

Good: New hotel (two years old in 2005); kids will like water slide; excellent continental breakfast with a good selection of hot and cold items; quick check-in and check-out; right off Highway 102; movie theatre, Tim Hortons, Sobey's Express and A & W Restaurant all located within walking distance; affordable.

Bad: Not much too do around hotel.

Overall: Great place to stop if you are travelling from/to Digby or Yarmouth from/to PEI, New Brunswick or Cape Breton. The water slide was the highlight of our 2005 summer vacation for our son.

Sunday, 30 October 2005

Hotels & Motels

We have stayed at numerous hotels and motels over the past 12 or so years. Some great. Some good. Some okay. A few bad. We will recount our experiences with the hotels and motels of North America. We'll let you know if the room was comfortable, if the breakfast buffet was acceptable and if the swimming pool was really heated. Nearby amenities such as restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities will be noted.

All rooms are non-smoking unless otherwise stated. Room rates are usually the best rate we can find and may include government and CAA/AAA discounts. We will try to note discounted rates where possible. "N/A" means that no information is available (we can't remember). "Nearby Amenities" refers to amenities that are within a short (walking or driving) distance of the hotel.