I'm trying to choose a hotel for the No Kidding! convention and have a choice of 2 different hotels. I need some feedback as to what your average CF/CL person would prefer.
One is a modern nice large chain hotel with rooms at just $112/night, but no meals are included in that price, not even breakfast.
The other is a small older boutique hotel with rooms at $139/night, but that includes breakfast buffet, cocktail hour, and cookie buffet DAILY.
The boutique hotel is 1 block from public transportation and has several restaurants and bars within a 1-2 block radius.
The chain hotel has its own restaurant. Public transportation is a 4-5 block walk and other restaurants are maybe a 2 to 6 block walk.
Both have complimentary vans/cars that will take guests to downtown destinations as long as no other guests have reserved them first.
The actual rooms are nice at both hotels and have TVs, internet access, etc.
I need to make a decision by Monday, so let me know what you think the most important things are.
It sounds like the boutique hotel is more convenient, plus who can resist a COOKIE BUFFET??? What other kinds of amenities do these two places offer? Do they both have pools or exercise rooms? And more importantly, how likely are either of these places to have a bunch of kids running around in them? Usually boutique hotels have less kids while chains cater to families and soccer teams.
Well I can't attend but whoa - cookie buffet??
I know living here in UK and Europe it's better to pay a bit extra and have some food provided. No searching out a decent deal, but price wise sometimes it's not cheaper that way.
For just a bit more you get cookie and breakfast buffet AND cocktail hour. That sounds NICE. Boutique makes me think it's more "quaint"??
I almost think the boutique hotel would be better, but if people are on a tight budget and the financial difference matters that much then I'd go with the other.
To be honest, I'm the type that would be there for other things and the hotel wouldn't be a huge deal; I think either one would be a great choice.
OK I have NO clue if I was any help but at least you have a response and an additional viewpoint.
Both hotels have outdoor pools and exercise rooms. The chain hotel has a larger pool. They also have a courtyard/garden. The boutique hotel has a small rooftop pool and jacuzzi with a nice view of the city.
ETA: I had my heart set on the chain hotel because it was nice, clean, and inexpensive. The only person on my committee who is actually doing any work, however, is the one who decided to contact the boutique hotel. She really likes that one better because it has "character". I, however, am not as crazy about it. Right when you walk in the lobby there is a very musty smell. It's just in that one place, although the rest of the hotel smells fine, but it was an immediate turnoff for me.
ETAA: I didn't see kids at either hotel. I would imagine the boutique hotel is less likely to have kids there, because it attracts a younger, trendier crowd. The chain hotel, however, is in the business/financial part of town too, and that area doesn't tend to attract families in general.
I can't go, but you had me at "cookie buffet."
Ditto on the cookie buffet
The cookie buffet sounds like fun, and I have stayed at work hotels where we had our accommodations paid for where they had cookies, but it wouldn't be my deciding factor for a place to stay.
I don't know what qualifies as a cookie 'buffet' but all places with cookies seem to put out a dozen of them in the evening and if you aren't there at the right time then you are out of luck.
I don't trust hotel restaurants to be economical ($10 for a coffee and muffin?!) so the fact that the chain doesn't have breakfast isn't ideal. Is there a small coffee shop nearby (Starbucks or whatever other chains are in the U.S.)? Plus when the boutique place says that you enjoy the cocktail hour does that mean that you get a free drink (I've stayed in a place like that in Phoenix)? Do people tend to drink at these things?
With regards to amenities I tend to want a place with a hot-tub instead of a pool, and the gym is always a factor for my coworkers (I prefer walking around the neighbourhood). Then again, southern-U.S. might not be a big hot-tub place
With regards to public transportation and accessibility of places, I tend to prefer to be closer to restaurants and places that have a local 'feel'. I don't know how to describe it, but I like to walk around in the evenings and I would rather be a few blocks away from a street full of shops rather than next to a shopping mall. Then again, if there really is reliable transportation by van to a place like that then I would be good with that. I have done it before (again in Phoenix) and didn't mind.
Some people prefer staying in chains because they get 'frequent client' advantages. Those people are probably not numerous, so that's not a big influence.
They sound about equal, although without having visited them I can't completely comment. I do enjoy places with a bit of character but I also recently stayed in a place that had '70's colours and pealing wall-paper 'character' and I wasn't very fond of that!
A cookie buffet for me would be a recipe for disaster. Why tempt myself into overeating crap? I'd vote for the cheaper option - in fact I'd pay extra NOT to have the cookie buffet and I know that DBF would feel the same way.
Cookie Hotel. er, I mean, cookie buffet....
Just to clarify, Ziggy:
The cocktail hour at the boutique hotel would include free drinks. I assume probably just well drinks and not the top-shelf stuff; otherwise they'd lose money.
The cookie buffet is for 2 hours every night, so I would assume they put out more than just 12 cookies.
The chain hotel DOES have a restaurant that serves breakfast: it's just not free. Plus they have room service. It's not like there's no food on the premises - you are not going to starve.
As I said above, the boutique hotel has a hot tub but the chain hotel does not.
Both places are downtown and walking distance to restaurants and bars. It's mostly office buildings so there aren't really any shops in that part of town. But yes, you could walk around at night and you might see a few homeless people but you will also see cops driving around.
WW - I also forgot to mention that the chain hotel has a "quiet zone" which is basically a childfree wing of the hotel. So even if there were kids in other parts of the hotel, you'd be guaranteed not to have any in the quiet zone.
BTW, you guys, this IS very helpful just reading the comments. I had no idea the cookie bar would be so popular!
having a cookie buffet id be scared it would be a magnet for families and kids!! if that isnt the case, then id go for the boutique hotel as well. a few extra bucks a night isnt that big of a deal compared to what it sounds like the boutique offers in extras.
Cookie buffet wins. ALWAYS.
I would pick the boutique hotel. I like the idea of breakfast included in the price of the hotel. It is nice to wake up, dress, and have breakfast without the hassle of splitting all the charges. Then they add the happy hour and cookie buffet! What a deal.
This is a real eye-opener. I would have assumed that cookies, breakfast and a cocktail would not justify an extra $27 per night plus tax...Wow. It's a good thing I asked. When I'm on vacation I often wake up so late that I skip breakfast and go straight to lunch. For the record, we'd probably have to skip the cookie buffet on Saturday night, since that will be the banquet night.
I'm torn. Like you, I am also a late riser and very rarely take advantage of the free breakfasts hotels often offer. If they went till 11:00 or noon, I'd be more likely to partake. I'm very much in favor of the lower price and the promise of a quiet wing at the chain, but I also like the charm of a smaller place, and I do love cookies. How much is parking at the boutique hotel? That could also be a deal maker/breaker since it's $10 at the bigger place.
I'll be the lone voice of dissent and say I'd rather the cheapest place I could find without having to fight rats and roaches for the bed. I'll get my own meals thanks.
Having just been through the chain hotel gauntlet, I'd go with the boutique one. I like kids less than ever at the moment, and anything that keeps kids away would be good. I didn't see anything about smoking, though, and that would matter a lot to me. A no-smoking hotel would be the best.
Parking is $10 per day at the chain.
It's $9 per day at the boutique, but they also said it would be $25 for overnight. Not sure why the difference.
The chain said nothing about a different price for overnight. I will have to check and see if they have a similar policy or not.
Both hotels are non-smoking.