Guest Houses: The New Cheap Alternative to Hotels?

Bed & Breakfast rooms have been a long-time alternative to a traditional hotel stay.

But what if you're looking for a more affordable option?
Guest houses are becoming increasingly more popular, especially in larger cities where the cost of living is enough to make you cry for days and room rates are higher than Seth Rogen.

The Margot Guest House in NYC offers a great alternative to the traditional Manhattan resorts if you're looking for a practical space that won't break the bank.

Tips, Tips, Tips!

Check out last year's trends here!


Hey everybody!

Got a nice little article from 2014, and I noticed a lot of these trends will be important years from now; it's pretty basic advice.


I also pulled another great resource from TripAdvisor.com which talks about tipping and etiquette.  What's appropriate to tip in a hotel setting is often confusing for guests, and I think this guide can help to clear up a lot of those questions.

You can find it here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-s606/United-States:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html


And here's one more great read- this is a compilation of great tipping stories; I found it really fascinating and fun.
Tipping Stories

Best Hotel Social Media

After a week of thinking about social media in class, listening a high-ranking social media manager/ guest lecturer (in said class), and remembering that this blog is rooted in social media, I've decided to honor this.

http://skift.com/2013/10/21/the-best-hotel-social-media-campaigns-of-2013/

This is a really interesting and objective article describing different hotel brands' use of social media.  I found it very interesting that even with successful campaigns, there is more of a focus on the quality (meaning influencers) of traffic rather than the quantity alone.

More Articles!

Hey everybody!

Here are some great articles that talk about hotel trends to watch for in 2015.  I think they're really spot-on

http://travel.usnews.com/features/Top-Hotel-Trends-to-Watch-in-2015/
http://www.4hoteliers.com/features/article/8736

Also here's a really cool info graphic about English breakfasts!

…courtesy of infographicsarchive.com.   While we're on that topic.  Here's one of the top English hotels today…. so gorgeous:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/7879021/English-hotels-with-alfresco-dining.html?image=3

Til next time!

Luxury!

Hey everyone and sorry for the interruption in trends and breakdowns, but I just have to share this Forbes.com article

Luxurious Hotels!

The photos are breathtaking.. it just makes you want to travel…… and have that kind of $$$$ to spend on one of these rooms!

My personal favorite is the Post Ranch Inn.. I mean just look at it

What a view

College Towns in High Demand for Hotel Rooms

Not surprisingly, an article was published this week on hotelnewsnow.com restating that college towns, particularly those deemed "research universities" draw in a consistent flow of hotel guests.  You can read the full article here:
http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/15362/US-college-towns-earn-top-grades-for-demand

Since I attend a North Carolina university, the school that comes to mind when I hear the expression "research institution" is Duke University.  I got curious, and pulled the list of "recommended hotels" and Durham hotels from the school's website.  Here is the full list:

Recommended Hotels (near campus)

Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club
(Walking distance from Fuqua)
+1.919.490.0999
3001 Cameron Boulevard (NC 751/Cameron)
www.washingtondukeinn.com

Durham Hotels

Hilton Garden Inn - Opening in December 2013
Durham/University Medical Center (about 2 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.286.0074
2102 West Main Street
http://hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/north-carolina/hilton-garden-inn-durham-university-medical-center-RDUMCGI/index.html

Millennium Hotel
(about 1.5 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.383.8575
2800 Middleton Drive
www.millenniumhotels.com

Extended Stay America
(about 3 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.489.8444
3105 Tower Boulevard
www.extendedstayhotels.com

Courtyard Durham
(about 3.5 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.309.1500
1818 Front Street
marriott.com/hotels/travel/rdufs-courtyard-durham-near-duke-university-downtown/

Durham Hilton
(about 4 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.383.8033
3800 Hillsborough Road
www.hilton.com

Holiday Inn Express
(about 4 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.313.3244
2516 Guess Road
www.hiexpress.com

Quality Inn & Suites
(about 4 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.382.3388
3710 Hillsborough Road
www.duke85.com

Hampton Inn
(about 4 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.471.6100
1816 Hillandale Road
www.hamptoninn.com

Durham Marriott City Center
(about 5 miles from Fuqua)
+1.800.909.8375
201 Foster Street
http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/rducv-durham-marriott-at-the-civic-center/

SpringHill Suites
(about 5.5 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.403.1111
5310 McFarland Drive
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/rdurl-springhill-suites-durham-chapel-hill/

Residence Inn by Marriott
(about 6 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.933.4848
101 Erwin Road
www.residenceinnchapelhill.com 

Hilton Garden Inn 
(about 9 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.544.6000
7007 Fayetteville Road
www.durhamsouthpoint.stayhgi.com

Chapel Hill Hotels

Sheraton Chapel Hill
(about 6.5 miles from Fuqua)
+1.919.968.4900
1 Europa Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1124

The Siena Hotel
(about 6.5 miles from Fuqua)
+1.800.223.7379
1505 East Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
www.sienahotel.com/

Interestingly enough, the only "recommended" hotel listed shares a common background.  Where the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is founded by Washington Duke, the university itself was renamed to Duke after Washington Duke's hefty endowment.

After reading the article about hotel traffic through college towns, I hadn't really been thinking about how universities themselves could capitalize on the need for hotel rooms.  Many universities offering hospitality degrees boast on-site hotels that serve as learning labs for students and additionally, I am sure, serve as a source of extra income.  Something my university should consider in the future...

Hotel Security

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/blue-black-white-gold-dressmaker-its-all-green-n314096

This made me question the security functionality of everyday hotels.  The London West Hollywood Hotel is obviously a big deal, so if it was this easy to make a $150k dress disappear from a room, it makes you wonder what else could have been lost.  I'm glad the CK dress was recovered; Nyong'o looks amazing in it.