Is Budget Travel Still Possible

 

Is Budget Travel Still Possible?

 

With sky rocketing airfare costs, additional airline charges, and food costs, it makes me wonder if budget travel is really still possible. You know the kind of travel us lower middle class working people make. We love to travel, but we don’t have the money to frequent the four star hotels. We look for the bargain, but are there really bargains out there?

In July 2003, I took my first vacation totally on my own. I took a four night trip to San Francisco, and it was wonderful. I was a recent college graduate, and even with my job, I didn’t have a lot of money. Still I wanted to go. After many online searches and phone calls I had my trip planned:

Round Trip Airfare Indianapolis-San Francisco: $200– Northwest

Four nights at the Adelaide Hostel: $100

Food Budget: $150

MUNI Pass: $5

Airport Shuttles: $25

Total: $480

Now of course this doesn’t include spending money or other costs. The food costs were low because I used the kitchen at the hostel, and I could actually have leftovers. It was an awesome trip and it was the start of my budget travel adventures. I was able to see the city, meet new friends, get out of town for a few days, and do it all without breaking the bank.  Now I fear I will never be able to do that again, and many young people will not have the opportunity I had. My curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to see what budget travel face now. I was surprised by what I found next.

Same trip, same days, five years later.

Airfare: $271 Air Tran

Four nights at Adelaide: $136

MUNI Pass: $18

Food Budget: $200

Bus Passes: $40

Total: $665

In five years, the cost has gone up $185 dollars. That is if I want to take the Air Tran flight, and I do not accrue any more airline fees, and I’m okay with not getting to San Francisco until 11:00 at night and taking a red eye back. If I want a better flight and not having to take another day of vacation, that means the cost will at least be $750. That now means a $270 difference. fine i could ake the BART instead of a shuttle…but that if I am getting in at 11:00, do really want to be walking from the Bart Station at midnight…by myself…with all my luggage? What if my plane is late? The last BART train leaves SFO at 11:53. 

Now, if hostels are not my thing. I would need to look for a budget hotel. This would make the price even higher. If I were travelling alone and staying a decent Union Square budget hotel, like the Adante at Jones and Geary, the nightly rate would be $99 per night minus fees. That would end up being around $450. Their rooms are pretty small, so if I were travelling with another person I would consider a suite. That is only another $30 a night, but now the charge just for lodging is $570. Now that is better than a $200 a night Union Square hotel. Hotwire.com may help you find a cheaper hotel, but you have to be careful. Their idea of “East Union Square” migrates into not so nice areas so be careful before you book. Good neighborhood or not, $109 a night for a three star hotel can still be steep with the ever rising airfare costs. Not to mention staying in a hotel will add to your food cost. No grocery shopping or leftovers will be there to pad the charges. Once again that puts the overall charges (if I am travelling alone) to at least $979. How is that on a budget? That is a four day trip for ONE person from Indianapolis to San Francisco.

I’m lucky. I’ll still have to take the hit on the airfare, but I can get a break on the lodging in San Francisco. However, what about the rest of the budget travelers?

Now that I’ve depressed myself, I ask the question again: Is budget travel still possible?

 

Expedia.com: My perspective

I used to be the ultimate Expedia cheerleader. I loved the site, and I love the deals I found. Now I am disillusioned and hesitant to even consider them as an option while booking travel. My experience is that if everything goes to plan with Exoedia you are fine. However, once something goes wrong, be prepared for the long haul. All of this started with a little software glitch. Their software had an error, and that made unable to process my reservation with the options I wanted. After weeks of fighting with their customer service department, I gave up. I just didn’t have any fight left. Something that should have been easily fixed, had become this totally absurd drama. Instead of saying “yes we screwed up and let us fix it for you,” I was faced with being told to make additional reservations, give bad and misinformation, getting responses from people who clearly did not read my e-mail, and just getting the run around in general.

Pretty soon I was hearing other people, my friends and family,  complaining about similiar issues. I started looking online and it became apaprent that Expedia’s customer service practices had hurt or at least disillusioned. After writing my own emotionally fueled rant, I decided to hear Expedia’s side of the story. I initially contacted them on August 7, 2007, I finally had a response on October 16, 2007. This was after contact the executives, being blown off by them and the finally contacting the press office. Katrina Thomas (from Expedia’s press office) was kind enough to respond to some comments and explanations. Some of the answers clarified things, others still just didn’t add up. I get what they are saying, I think if those answers were correctly implemented they would be great. However, so many people I know, and people I have encountered online have seen the polar opposite of these practices. 

Here are the facts as they stand. Posted below is a list of questions I posted to Expedia. Directly below each question is Expedia’s response:

1)  Why does it take so long for a reply?

We make every effort to achieve a resolution as promptly as possible. We review and send an initial response to online inquiries within 4 hours, but it will likely take longer to solve more complex issues, such as those that require a monetary transaction or scheduling change.

 

2) Why does a company that prides itself on “quality customer service”  consistently have phone reps that treat customers like they are a waste of time?

Our expectation of call center agents is that they treat every customer with respect and courtesy. If a situation arises that is counter to this expectation, we take steps to ensure that future customers are handled properly. Each customer interaction is an opportunity for us to become more effective in addressing the needs of our customers, and for our customers to gain insight they can use in planning their next trip.

 

3) Why do you use canned e-mails that rarely actually answer the questions that are asked?  

There are many situations where our customer service agents are unable to assist via e-mail and request that the customer call into the call center for further assistance. This is done to protect the integrity of the traveler’s itinerary as well as ensure the customer receives the assistance needed. As such, our e-mail support team will use an e-mail template for responses, but if a case is escalated to our Traveler Advisory Group (TAG), each response is drafted in accordance to the situation with standard greetings and closings.

 

4) Why is it that reps (whether it be on the phone or on e-mail) know nothing unless it is on a script?

The only scripts employed by our customer care team are legal booking scripts. However, an agent may use a standard line they create for themselves due to the fact that the questions many customers ask are very similar in nature.

 

5) When a rep does not know a question, why do they not automatically send you to a supervisor?  

Our agents are equipped to address the customer support inquiries we receive, and the overwhelming majority of customer support inquiries are addressed promptly in one call to 1-800-EXPEDIA. In cases where a customer feels their situation requires escalation, they can request to speak with a supervisor, but should be aware of potentially lengthy hold times.

 

6)  When a customer asks to speak to a supervisor, why do the reps refuse to transfer you or give out any contact information?

In an effort to provide the best possible service to customers contacting our call centers, our systems are set up to handle calls through 1-800-EXPEDIA as that assigns a case number to the customer which can then be referenced in subsequent calls if necessary. Our call centers are not equipped to support calls outside of the support line. If a customer asks to speak to a supervisor, our agents are directed to escalate the call.

 

7)  Why are your top exec e-mails and contact info such highly classified items?

This information is not classified and is in fact available on the Internet. However, not all agents may have access to that information and are unable to share it because they don’t know.

 

8)  When someone contact the execs, why does it take over month to get a response,if you get one at all?

There can be a lag time inherent in communications. While executives can be pulled in many different directions, our customer care team was created to handle the needs in a timely manner for our customers at any point during their travel, from planning and purchase to during and after a trip.

 

9)  Why do reps bounce you from rep to rep and department to department without ever giving you their full name, or disclosing which department they work for? 

Some agents do not feel comfortable giving out their full name but are more than happy to provide you with their first name for identification. Any time you contact 1-800-EXPEDIA, you are speaking to an agent within our customer care team.

 

10) If they are sending your complaint on to another department, why do they not tell you what is going on?

Our customer service agents are solving a range of issues that may emerge before and during travel, (missed flights, personal emergencies, weather-related cancellations, etc.). In many cases, Expedia is working on behalf of our customers with our supply partners, and we are dependent to a certain degree on our partners’ participation in reaching a resolution for the customer. As such, it is important for customers to interact with our agents in good faith as they advocate on the customers’ behalf and seek a resolution to the issue at hand.

 

11) What is the Customer Advisory Group, and why do they claim “they are all supervisor” when you ask to speak to someone above them (when they do not know the answer to a s seemingly simple question).

The Customer Advisory Group (or TAG) is our highest level of support. A customer usually is transferred to this group if they ask to speak to a supervisor, or the agent is unable to assist. Our TAG is dedicated to resolving customer issues efficiently, but sometimes that requires additional research which could entail contacting a supplier partner or looking into a matter further for direct follow up with the customer.

 

 Like I said before, these are good answers. Really if Expedia lived up to all of these, they would be a delight to do business with even when things went south. However, my personal experiences and experiences I have researched paint a different picture.

 

1)      When I  discovered the software glitch, I contacted Expedia immediately. It was well over four hours before I was sent a canned e-mail saying they would get to me ASAP. I guess that is initial response, but to many people it is just a confirmation that your complaint has been received. It isn’t “initial contact” because there is not a person you can follow up with, nor are they actually  responding to your question. My first e-mail was sent on 2/18. My canned response came on 2/19.  I did not get a real response until 2/22, and even then it was bad information. This was not within four hours, nor was it within the 48 hours promised on the website. Maybe I just hit them at a bad time. However, many other people had the same results regardless of when their initial e-mail was sent.

 

2)      The phone reps…yikes. Seriously in all the times I have called Expedia (yes this was before I had my big rule about always doing complaints via mail or e-mail for the paper trail), I have been treated rudely by all but one rep. Once again, maybe it is just my dumb luck, but I’m thinking that unless everyone I interviewed had that same dumb luck it is a good indication. I work in customer service, I know when people call my line they are expecting me to be courteous and knowledgeable. I have the same expectation for other customer service employees. This has not been my experience. More on this later…

 

3)      Okay this one just cracked me up.  At first I wasn’t even sure she answered my question. She talks about needing customers to call (once again on my travel complaints DO NOT list…if they force you to do so take copious notes and get names), and integrity of the customer itinerary. Okay fine the front line customer service staff does not know the right answer (which I’m guessing from the volume of canned e-mails I have received back is the case for most questions), they send you a canned e-mail telling you to call them so they can still not know the answer…which leads me to….

 

4)      Yeah this one made me laugh too. Okay well then your employees are sharing the scripts they made up…fine yes I’m being a little jaded here. Each time I called Expedia, I had a different employee feeding me the SAME LINES over and over again. If Expedia is not supplying these scripts, I’m not sure where the uniform stonewalling answers are coming from, but they are there. When two different people have called Expedia and reached different reps, but gotten the same response, that just isn’t right.

 

5)      Customer Service 101: If you do not know the answer, please connect the customer to some who does know the answer. DUH! Do not keep feeding them lines and giving them the same bad information over and over again. Yes I have the e-mails to prove this!  Once again, forcing us to call and to no longer have the benefit of a paper trail is low in my mind. Forward our e-mail to some one who knows the answer and let them tell us what is going on, or even GIVE us the proper contact info and we can follow up ourselves.  Really it isn’t that hard.

 

6)      I repeatedly asked to be sent to a supervisor, and I was always told no. At one point I was actually told “we are all supervisors here.”  NO one gave me the option of even having a long hold time, and I once again have e-mails to prove it.  Really this still doesn’t answer my initial question of why now does it? Maybe it does and I’m just not getting it. Once again, would it really be that hard to let us know who can help us and how to get a hold of said person?

 

7)      Okay, the site I finally found the contact info on (www.ellliott.org)  was very helpful, but at the time I was looking for contact info, it was no where to be found on the Expedia Website. I only went this route when the traditional customer service route failed me. No one I talked to could help me, and they refused to tell me how to get a hold of anyone that could, let alone transfer me to them. As for the customer service reps not having the contact info for the higher ups, I’m just baffled. I do not understand why a company would not give and employee EVERYTHING he or she needed to do the job.

 

      Okay, fine responding to e-mail isn’t their only job, but hello? A Month? Wow. I mean the only reason I went to the Execs was because I was so frustrated with Customer Service I had no other recourse.  Then I was blown off for a month, and my response came from someone using the Execs e-mail address, but never identified her position. That is just a little unprofessional in my mind.

 

9)      Okay…once again I work in customer service and whether it “makes me comfortable” or not I HAVE to give out my name if asked. Actually is  *REQUIRED* on my outgoing e-mail signature. I don’t care if I am talking to someone on the customer care team. If I am calling (because the company is forcing me to if I want this situation resolved) I want a name to associate with the information. If I get contradictory info or I am told otherwise later, it will not just be my word backing me up.

 

10)   Wow..please don’t even get me start on how this question is just not answered at all. Yeah I’ve really got nothing else.

 

 

11)   I don’t get it still. My experience with the TAG was not of a the professional caliber I would expect from a supervisor. It was just like speaking to another agent who did not know the answers and in the end never really helped me. It was just beyond frustrating and annoying.

 I have read from other travel bloggers that in the end Expedia usually does right by customers, but they never did right by me. I will say though unless you know how to play their game, and have the patience to jump through their hoops, it could be a while before you see results.  I’m still just a little afraid to give them another chance. Yes I know it may result in me missing out on deals, but for now I’m going to steer clear.

Does anyones else have more recent experiences with Expedia? I’m curious to see if they have recently changed their tune?  Good or bad what has bee your experience?

While I’m doing Shameless plugs for the old Stomping Grounds: Cedar Point

If you have not been to Cedar Point, you are missing out on one of the best Amusement Parks in the world. Other parks might have scores of cartoon characters and a few worthwhile coasters, but Cedar Point dwarfs them all.

Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio. It is not too far off Interstates 80/90 and it is one of the best places to see in Ohio. The park opens in May and is open all summer long. The park even remains open for weekends through October. Hours and days the park is open vary by the time of the season, so be sure to check their website for those details.

If going in the summer doesn’t work, you can always go in the fall. Cedar Point is open ever weekend in October with Halloweekends. The park gets a spooky make over and there are even some haunted houses.

The one thing that really makes Cedar Point stick out is that is has so many great coasters. There is not just one or two that you have to ride. Cedar Point has many really awesome coasters and rides for you to enjoy. Coasters like the Magnum, Raptor, Millennium Force and Dragster will thrill you. Older but still classic coasters like the Blue Streak and the Gemini are still great fun. With so many options it could take all day to navigate the park. The park also has rides and play areas for younger vistors too. They even have Snoopy there too!

If you go to Cedar Point, the best way to ensure you will see the whole park is to have a game plan. If you randomly just bounce from ride to ride. The park has a midway and then it is set up in a big circle. Your best bet is to pick a starting point. Pick the ride you want to ride the most and start there. If you get there when the park opens, that is usually the best time to ride to more popular coasters. The lines will usually be a little shorter then. From there pick out a direction an start making your away around the circle. The Blue Streak and the Raptor are both on the midway, but you can wait and do those two coasters last. The Raptor is much more fun at night anyway! Not to mention that since it is one of the first big coasters visitors come across upon entering the park, its line is usually pretty long. At night the line eases up a bit.

Be prepared. Do not eat your way through the park. This will be costly. Wear comfortable shoes. Sandals are fine, but make sure your shoes are secure. You do no want to lose them on a ride. You can do your hair and make up, but after a few rides it will not matter anyway. Bring a hair brush and an extra hair tie if you have long hair. Do not forget the sunscreen! If it is a hot day, bring a water bottle and be sure to stay hydrated. If it is a cool day dress appropriately. If it is even a somewhat cool day, remember that the park is on Lake Erie. That breeze of the lake will make it feel even cooler. Once the sun goes down, it can be downright chilly. That brings up another point, if you do ride a water ride, be sure to have dry clothes or do it well before sundown.

Restuarant Review: Tony Packo’s Cafe

Yes this was inspired by the contraband my family brought me from Ohio this weekend.

When you think of Toledo, Ohio, not many great things come to mind. It is a small Midwest city with a minor league baseball team and not much else. However, tucked away in East Toledo there is a great Hungarian Restaurant. Tony Packo’s Café has delicious food and a fun ambiance that make it an must see non your trip through Toledo.

Some people may remember hearing about Tony Packo’s on the TV series MASH. Jamie Farr’s character Klinger was from Toledo and he would talk about the restaurant on the show. I think they may have even ordered something from the store on the show at one point or another. The restaurant is well worth the hype it received on the show.

The menu has everything from hot dogs (more on those later) to traditional Hungarian dishes (East Toledo was one known for being the hub of Hungarian culture in the city). Now before you dismiss the Hot Dogs, you need to know that these aren’t just your garden variety hot dogs you can buy at the grocery store. These are more like a sausage and once you add the Packo’s sauce and cheese, a bowl of chili or soup, one of their many sides and a side of their pickles, you have a combo meal. If you do not like hot dogs, please still give these a try. I promise it you will not be disappointed.

While you are in the restaurant, you will see that there are rows and rows of hot dog buns on the walls. If you look closer you will see that each of the buns are signed by a celebrity. Some are local celebrities, others are more famous. You will find President’s , actors and musicians names all over the restaurant. This is packo’s real claim to fame. How do they keep the buns from deteriorating? Well the secret to that is they are not real buns. They are plastic, but you could never tell.

Don’t forget to check out the gift shop. Yes the restaurant has a gift shop. You can get shot classes, beer steins, a jar of their pickles, t-shirts and even their Hot Dog Sauce from the gift shop. Are you already addicted to this place? If so you can order most of these things via the internet off their website. You even order hot dog packs for cookouts and parties off the site.

The original café is in East Toledo, but there are little satellite stores around the city. However, if you want the true Tony Packo’s experience, it is best to go to the original East Toledo location.

Hotwire.com Tips (no…not for your car the travel website)

Hotwire can be a great travel tool. However, there are some thing you need to be aware of  a few things BEFORE you book.

 

Always read the Terms of Agreement. Yes those pesky terms they want you to agree to before you book online. Make sure you read these carefully. These will tell you exactly what the company guarantees you, and that is expect from you. Basically, Hotwire is under no obligation to refund your money because, death, illness, or natural disaster. However, if you ask nicely, they may extend a gesture of goodwill. Yes, it isn’t fair, it is what you agreed to at the time of purchase.

 

Remember that your idea of a four star hotel, and Hotwire’s standards may not match up. Hotwire is usually dependant on the hotel to provide their own review. I doubt the company goes out and checks each hotel individually. If the hotel is below the stated quality, or worse unacceptable, you do have every right to report that to Hotwire. Once again, Hotwire is not under ANY obligation to reimburse you, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. I’ve read several complaints about how Hotwire ignored and blew off customer complaints. One, they really have no reason to do otherwise. Two, many of these claims do not have and documentation or proof to back u the accusation. If you are going to submit a complaint,  be sure to have clear pictures of the room, and the condition you found it in. This will help you plead your case, and usually Hotwire is more willing to make things right.

 

Always call to confirm your reservation. Yes, you were given a confirmation number, sent and e-mail, and it clearly says you have ordered and paid for the service. However, if Hotwire has not actually booked the service, this could be an issue. There is nothing worse than showing up and discovering you do not have a flight, hotel room, rental car…yeah you get the picture. I once booked two hotel rooms for a family trip to Chicago. After I booked the rooms I called to make sure we were down for non-smoking rooms and to request a rollaway bed (my sister decided she was also coming). When I called, the hotel staff had no record my reservation on file. Mind you, this was almost a month later. They had reservations from Hotwire from as late as the previous day, but my reservation was nowhere to be found. They told me to call Hotwire. I called and of course this is the one time I get a rude rep. She told me that the hotel screwed up (PET PEEVE: Don’t play the blame game. I don’t care whose fault it is as long as you fix it and fix it right and quickly.). She made a big deal about how she would fax it to the hotel again. After calling the hotel two hours later, calling Hotwire again to harass them, and then calling the hotel again I was able to confirm both rooms were booked. No one took the blame, and no one apologized. It was very frustrating. However, confirming with the hotel saved my family some major stress! The problem was solved, and really that was all that mattered to me. I wasn’t going to make a stink over it, but the whole process made me a little nervous. Apparently this is an issue Hotwire (and other online booking sites…so I’m not just picking on Hotwire) has frequently enough to be alarming.

 

Expect the worst from customer service. Yes this is such a glass half empty idea. It isn’t that the employees are rude like their brethren at Expedia (or at least all the Expedia reps I, my family and my friends have ever dealt with…maybe we are just lucky and get the bad eggs?), it is that they seem to know very little. They seem to be good at parroting lines off a script (although, management insists they do not use scripts), but if the answer isn’t on their cheat sheet good luck to you. When they failed to actually book my rooms, I asked a simple question of if I had not caught their mistake in time, what would have happened?  Before I made a fool of myself by writing something not true, I figured having my fact straight would be a good idea.  No one could answer my question. It took months of e-mails, and eventually talking to the guy who handled their media relations to get a straight answer. That is a little frightening.  Yes the media person told me that Hotwire would have gotten my family taken care of, my concern would be if the hotel was totally booked ( as it was that weekend) where would they have put us? I never really got an answer there. I was only assured that Hotwire would have worked with the hotel to get us in.

 

A closer look at Hotwire:

 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/384513/hotwater_for_hotwire.html?cat=16

 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/384518/hotwire_issues_final_verdict.html?cat=16

 

Hotel Review: The Grant Plaza Hotel: San Francisco

Good Location…not so great everything else

The Grant Plaza Hotel is a more budget minded boutique hotel located in Chinatown in San Francisco. When you read the Orbitz reviews and look at the website, it seems like a pretty nice place. However, looks can be deceiving.

It isn’t that The Grant Plaza Hotel is the worst hotel in San Francisco, but what they charge isn’t comparable to the amenities. The hotel has a prime location in the heart of Chinatown (Grant and California). This makes Union Square and the bus lines a short walk away. The lobby is beautiful and elegant. It has internet access in the lobby, and lockers to store your luggage in. The staff is very helpful. If you want an authentic Chinese meal, or want to know which shops have the best deals, they will gladly help you. However, that isn’t quite enough to prompt a return visit.

The lobby may be beautiful, but the rooms are bare bones basic. Yes, no one was expecting four star accommodations, but cold and sterile are not welcoming qualities. The bathrooms are huge, but not exactly functional. One little metal shelf is not exactly counter space. The television reception is fuzzy at best on the few channels you do get.

The location that is perfect during the day becomes a detriment at night. There is not much to do in the neighborhood around the hotel at night. The bus stops that would be your gateway to SOMA, the Haight or any other nightlife destination would be quite a hike. Even Ruby Skye is a little too far for a lone traveler to walk. Maybe if there is a group of you it would be safe, but walking around any city at night by yourself is not always the best move.

Another issue the Grant Plaza has is that they do not always have their rooms ready on time. Imagine that your flight came into San Francisco at 11:20. By the time you claim your luggage and take the shuttle to the hotel it is 12:30. It is too early to check in, so you put your bags in a locker and spend some time in Union Square. After you eat lunch at your favorite diner, you return to the hotel at a little past the check in time. The man at the front desk says your room isn’t ready yet. You are tired from the cross country flight. Not to mention, you woke up at 3:30 your time to get to the airport on time. All you want to do is get checked in and settled. Maybe you even want to take a shower. You wait for over an hour before they give you a key. When you finally get up to your room, the bed isn’t made and the bathroom has not been cleaned. Yes, this is a nightmare.

When booking a hotel online, be sure to read reviews carefully before you book. Also remember that the best deal may be too good to be true. Sure the Grant Plaza will work in a pinch, but there are many other less expensive hotels out there.

Hotel Review: Adante Hotel: San Francisco

A Great Deal

I was happy with my stay at the Adante Hotel in Downtown San Francisco. Small rooms? Sure, but most European Style Hotels have smaller rooms. Despite the claims of paper thin walls at the Adante Hotel I heard nothing from my neighbors in my whole stay. Sketchy neighborhood? Not really. I traveled alone and I never felt unsafe.

However, I did take a cab late (After Midnight) at night as to not be waiting at or walking from bus stops alone. During the day its perfectly fine. Going west of that block while alone, at night might not be ideal, but walking to and from Union Square is not big deal.

Remember what you are paying in comparision to the other budget hotels in the area. It isn’t a five star and it doesn’t bill itself as such. These are all things one needs to keep in mind. My only complaint, if you can even call it that, is that housekeeping makes it rounds rather early. My advice is if you go out to enjoy the night life, make sure you put your DND sign up before crawling into bed.

I have stayed in several “budget” hotels in San Francisco. Most of them were adequate, but very sterile and unwelcoming. This was not the case here.

The staff has always been super helpful and nice. Even before my stay I called with questions, and they were very happy to answer them. They helped me figure out MUNI route and find bus stops and other little things that made my stay much better. I am returning to the Adante on my next trip out there and I am looking forward to another positive experience.

Finding a budget hotel in San Francisco

So you have decided that hostels just aren’t for you. Now you have to find a place to stay that is affordable, in good location, and will meet your overall needs. Don’t worry, it isn’t that hard.

First, of course you need to pick your location. Many tourists tend to stay either in the Union Square area or by Fisherman’s Wharf. These areas tend to have lots of tourist traffic and they tend to be close to public transit. This is very important if you do not have a car. I prefer the Union Square area more. Fisherman’s Wharf is a little too claustrophobic for me and I like that the Geary bus runs 24 hours in Union Square. Be sure you know your neighborhoods and locations! If you do not get a map, and get online and do some research.

It doesn’t hurt to check with the big hotels first. You never know they may have some awesome promotion or you may find an amazing deal on priceline. Sometimes you can get a three or four star hotel for a steal.

If that doesn’t work out then you will want to look into budget hotels. You may find some of these on Expedia. You may also want to look to sites like thorntree.lonelyplanet.com for suggestions. Remember these are not four star hotel chains. Most of them will be nice and clean, and the staff will be awesome. However, there will not be room service , a fitness center, a pool or even business center. If these are must haves for your hotel, start looking at the big chains again.

Once again, know your neighborhoods or at least have a map. If you are looking at Union Square know that the further you get out on Geary, the worse the neighborhood gets. I personally love the Adante Hotel at Geary and Jones, but I wouldn’t stay much further down the road. The Tenderloin is a not so great part of the city, and it is only blocks from Union Square. Some of the budget hotels in the civic center neighborhood are really more residential. Plus depending on where you are it may not be the safest place to stay. Make sure you do your homework BEFORE you book. There may be some places in Nob hill or Chinatown, but if you plan on using public transit at night, it could be a hike to your bus stop.

Do not believe the website, or reviews done by the hotel. I once stayed in the Grant Plaza in Chinatown. The description was a bit misleading and the only pictures they had listed were of the lobby. The guest reviews were mixed and they claimed they had a renovation recently. I was new to budget hotels, so I didn’t know all the rules of the trade. I booked anyway, and while it wasn’t a total disaster. However, I was disappointed in the room quality. Yes the lobby is wonderful and the staff was awesome, but the rooms left a lot to be desired. They were sterile and less than inviting. didn’t watch TV that much, but when I wanted to unwind after a long day I was watch a show or two, but the picture was awful. I just wished I had made a different hotel choice. Just be careful.

If you can, book the hotel directly through their booking site. If you like a particular hotel, get a contact person. Maybe if you stay there in the future they will give you a returning customer discount. These hotels are not usually chains. They are usually boutique hotels and they are happy to have the business.

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Tags: SanFrancisco, Budget, budget travel, travel, hotel

More on Chicago Shopping: Vive La Femme Review

Vive La Femme = Fabulous

Vive La Femme is a store in Chicago that is changing wardrobes and lives of “full figured fashionistas” through out the city and around the country (some items are available online). The store proves that trendy, cute and flattering clothing is not just for the skinny girls. It is refreshing to find a store that understands plus sized clothing does not need to be frumpy and unflattering.

Yes there are stores like Lane Bryant and Avenue, but most of their clothing is cut for one body shape. If you are not built like a linebacker, their clothes will not look good on you. On occasion, you might find something worth buying. However, there is a lot of effort involved.

This is not the case with Vive La Femme. You will find something you love every time you go into this store. There are a variety of styles available that flatter many different body types. If you have narrow shoulders, you can find items that fit. Your clothes should not look like a tent. They even carry accessories to complete your look.

Probably the best thing about Vive La Femme isn’t the clothes or the selection, it is the staff. Going shopping for clothing in regular stores is sometimes a nightmare. It is easy to feel judged by the sales staff or uncomfortable about coming out of the dressing room. The owner Stephanie Sack, and her two accomplices Brooklyn and Bess make every customer feel like a rock star. They give you tons of personal attention, their honest opinion and they make you feel comfortable. They are able to help you pick clothes that are going to look best on you based on your body type, size and your personality.

The store also has special events and networking opportunities for young professionals. These events enable their customers to build social and business relationships as well as introduce them to new products and to just have fun. Notices for these events usually go out via the store’s mailing list. You can join the list on their website.

If you do not live in the Chicago area, you can always shop online at http://www.vivelafemme.com/. Granted, you will not get the excellent one on one service, but you can still browse through the selections and if you have any questions about sizing or other issues you can e-mail the staff through a link on the site.

Vive La Femme is located in Bucktown at 2048 N. Damen. The store is open Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00-6:00, and Sunday 11:00-5:00.

San Francisco Shopping Tip: Shopping Tour of SF

Shopping Fun

San Francisco is wonderful city to visit. It has a rich history, great architecture and a diverse culture. Another thing the city has is some great places to shop. Some of the places are more common, others are a little off the beaten path, but still worth the trip.

The most common place to go shopping is in Union Square. Here you can find more traditional stores like Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, The Gap, Banana Republic and H & M. You will also find a Betsey Johnson store and other little boutiques. You could spend a whole day exploring all the stores. While this is the most common shopping area there are many other neighborhoods with many other options.

Another place to shop is in the Haight. While this is sometimes relegated to a touristy area, there are many great places to buy clothing, accessories, and even music. AS you walk through the Upper Haight (Haight-Asbury area) you will find every thing from thrift stores to trendy boutiques to The Gap (much to the locals’ dismay). If you are looking for more mod/goth/alt culture items, you will have great luck at stores like NY Apparel and Daljeets. If you are a music junkie, Amoeba Records will be your Mecca. It is at the end of Haight Street just before you get to Golden Gate Park. It filled with CDs, records, DVDs, imports, out of print and other hard to find items.

No shopping trip in San Francisco would be complete without a stop in Chinatown. Chinatown is filled with great little shops. You can find great items for great deals. Of course you need to check the quality of the item before you buy. Some stores carry low caliber products, but many other stores carry items that are durable. If you want to avoid tourist traffic and shop where the locals shop, go up Stockton. You will avoid the foot traffic on Grant and you will find some great stores.

The Mission district is often over looked as a great place to shop. Valencia Street is home to many thrift stores and boutiques. You will also find many bookstores along this stretch of Valencia. One of those bookstores is called Borderlands. Borderlands specializes in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books. If you want an autographed copy of Christopher Moore’s newest book, this is where to find it. Borderlands also carries prints by Alan Clark and some great jewelry. The highlight of the store is their (hairless) store cat Ripley.

If you do not have car, don’t worry all of these locations are easily accessible by public transit (specifically MUNI). You can pay each fare as you go, or you can get a multi-day pass and save some money. It can take a day or two to get to all the stores, but it is well worth it.

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