By Jay Whipple
Trend Magazine Online™
Very Clean!
Trend Magazine Online™
Very Clean!
I must admit that I am one of those folks that fears staying in a
hotel/motel as much as most of us dread a trip to the dentist that
involves a drill. My fear has been compounded by various investigative
tabloid news reports that feature a reporter going over a room with one
of those Black lights. I have also seen reports about
certain chains that do not routinely change blankets, towels, sheets,
etc.… Some of my apprehensions concerning the cleanliness of the
hotel/motel industry have been offset by this new age of Internet
reviews. I have, however, learned to apply due diligence when reading
online reviews by checking for those written simply for revenge,
extortion, and even by a competitor. In addition, I am leery of any
company that has a string of glowing 5-Star rated
reviews. I am also aware that many people that had a positive experience
at an establishment will simply provide a glowing verbal review and
perhaps tell a friend or two if asked.
On that note, I did apply the aforementioned strategy to my search
for a nice clean hotel/motel using the Queen
City Tours and Travel site for my trip to the St.
Augustine, Florida area. You can read about my
trip in an upcoming edition of Trend Magazine Online. My
search landed me on the Hotels.com site this go round
and as usual I concentrated on properties that were within a 30-45
minute drive of my destiny. I can typically stay at a very nice
property for 30% or more less than the same or similar brand
just 20 to 30 miles away. I make sure that I calculate
the extra fuel cost and deduct it from my room savings to get the true
overall savings of staying away from the destination. It is even more
advantageous when the hotel/motel is located either before your current
destination or after your route to your next destination. That way you
will not backtrack -- saving time and fuel. As such, I chose the
Best Western Hotel in Palatka,
Florida, which is 29 miles away from downtown
St. Augustine and about a 35 minute drive.
