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?

 

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.

San Francisco on a budget: How to Link

San Francisco is not a cheap city. However you can still have a great time without breaking the bank. Take a look at this article on www.ehow.com for  more help!

San Francisco: Non Touristy How to and advice

I love San Francisco, and while there is nothing wrong with doing the usual tourist stuff, sometimes just enjoying the city can be a big reword. Click here to find how to find things off the beaten path.

Also here are some tips:

Sometimes being the traditional tourist can get old. When you visit a city, it is nice to see the popular sights, but sometimes it is nice to get off the beaten track. San Francisco is a beautiful city. It has many traditional touristy stops, but the lesser known gems can be just as fun.

If you need a nice relaxing afternoon, try spending some time in Huntington Park. The park is located on California Street between Taylor and The Flood Mansion/ Pacific Union Club at Mason. The park was originally a cemetery and then a mansion that was destroyed in the 1906 fire. On a sunny afternoon, you can sit there for hours, people-watch, and enjoy the sights in the park. The park is situated at the top of a hill looking down into the Union Square area. It is great view of the city. You also have great views of Grace Cathedral and the Fairmount Hotel.

Another must see is the San Francisco Vampire Tour. The tour meets up at Huntington Park (Taylor and California) on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00. “Mina Harker” will guide you through history of Nob Hill with a little bit of a twist. You can find more information on the tour at the official website .

Riding the cable car is one of those things every tourist wants to do. That means the lines for the cars going to Fisherman’s Wharf are insanely long. Plus if you do not pick it up at the starting point, there might not be room for you to get on later. However, they are not the only game in town. There is the California line. It starts in the Financial District and goes down California to Van Ness. The car goes through Chinatown, and past Huntington Park. You can still ride the cable car without the crowds!

If you are hungry, there are many places to eat in Union Square. One of the less promoted is the Pinecrest Diner. It is located at the corner at Geary and Mason. Pinecrest is the typical diner, complete with the brown Formica tables and vinyl seats. However, it has excellent food and the prices aren’t gouging. The diner also has a great window that faces out on to Mason. If you sit in one of the booths along that wall, you can people watch as you eat.

The Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf are great places to go, but sometimes a little break from the crowd is nice. Try some of these places, and do some searching on your own. You might find some other great gems in the city.

S

Chicago on a Budget: How To

Want to go to Chicago, but you have a limited budget? Check this out!

 

 

6/6 Vegas Tip: Where to Stay

Mini Tip: I’ve said before picking your hotel for Vegas is an important part of trip planning. If are staying on teh strip, and plan on doing lots of walking, your best bet is to pick a hotel in the middle of the strip. The Flamingo may get dissed becuase it is “older,” but it is still a great place to stay. Pricewise it is very reasonable. Even the budget traveler can score a deal if he/she books in advance. It is pretty much in the middle of the strip, and it has a fabulous pool. NO matter where you book your trip,  always check with the hotel to see their rates before you go to an online search.

Here is a review of a stay at the Flamingo:

Need an affordable, but still fabulous, place for your stay in Las Vegas? The Flamingo may be the answer. The Flamingo is a Hilton property located in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. While some may say this older property is outdated and not as fancy as the other casino resorts on the strip, it is still a great place to stay.

It is in the middle of the strip, and many attractions are a short walk away. The Flamingo’s location really cannot be beat. It is in the middle of the strip, and many attractions are a short walk away. The resort itself has many restaurants and bars, but it is also right next door to two additional casinos (both are also owned by the Flamingo) with additional dining options. Bill’s Gambling Hall has 24-hour restaurant and 99 cent margaritas. O’Shea’s has a food court with a Subway, a pizza place, pasta place, and a Burger King.

The grounds of the resort are beautiful. There is a wildlife preserve filled with many interesting and unique animals, including flamingos, of course. The pool is a wonderful place to hang out during the day. It does get crowded, so if you want chairs, you better get their early. If the crowds and kids are not your thing, you can always opt for the “European Style pool.” You need to be 21 or older to get in and there is a $10 charge for men. Women get in free. Drinks are cheaper at this pool, so the $10 fee (for guys) can usually be made up in drink savings.

The rooms are excellent. We had a standard room for our stay, but some of our friends had the deluxe rooms and they had no complaints about those either. Some of my roommates thought the water in the shower wasn’t warm enough, but I didn’t have a problem. The room was plenty big (although cramped quarters for four girls who didn’t exactly pack light). We had a great view of the strip (Paris and the Bellagio) from our room. My only complaint was the housekeeping staff. On our second day we left the room early to sightsee. We put the “please make up our room early” sign out. When we returned to the room to get ready to go to the pool, the room was still not clean. However, we saw the housekeeping carts in the hall and figured we were next. An hour or so later I discovered the room was still a mess and the housekeeping carts were gone. I called housekeeping, and the woman told me that they had until 5:30 to clean all the rooms. I explained to her that the carts had been on our floor, but were now gone. Plus, we had the “please clean us early” sign in plain sight. I left again to do more sight seeing, and when I returned an hour and a half later, the room was finally done. We did not have an issue with it for the rest of our stay, but it was a concern.

Price-wise, The Flamingo was perfect. My advice is to book directly through the hotel and book as far in advance as you can. Prices jumped dramatically shortly after I booked our room, so you need to plan ahead! You can try to find better deals on the online travel sites. You may have some success, but the hotel does have some pretty decent specials. Plus, reservations made through the hotel are refundable.