Britain’s Telegraph had an excellent story about hostelling for families.  Why on earth would I care about that?   Stay tuned for dispatches next week when l’ll have tales of exploring Amsterdam - with my beautiful fourteen month old niece.

Yes its karma time for all the bitching I’ve ever done about kids on planes, kids in restaurants, kids stomping around in floors above you, and etcetera. 

Most British hotels that cater properly for children take the form of fancy country-house pads costing over £200 a night. Yet from our experience, cheaper places to stay rarely work well with young ones. So when we go away, like most families I know, we usually end up camping or renting a cottage.

But there is a promising-sounding alternative. Hostels may conjure up images of spartan, single-sex dorms and hardy backpackers, but at many properties this view is well out of date. Around two-thirds of the Youth Hostel Association’s 200 hostels in England and Wales offer private family rooms and about 50 have family rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

So, with family rooms costing from £36 a night, are hostels the budget accommodation answer? My partner Emily, our two boys (Edward aged two, and Arthur, five) and I thought we’d find out.

Full article “Bunking Down with the Family“

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It’s not often I rave about anything in Broomfield, the suburban Denver town and next door neighbor of Boulder.   Locally it’s best known for Flatiron Crossing, a sprawling mega mall complex with the ubiquitous chain restaurants spoking out from it’s hub.  My favorite part of Broomfield is right on highway 36, as you reach the crest of the last hill before descending into the Boulder valley.  You’re treated to a beautiful vista of snow capped mountains above the famous Flatiron rocks.   In fact the westbound “viewing area” exit off highway 36 still remains for tourists to look down at the geographic beauty of the well known college town.

The Denver Business Journal reports construction will begin in 2008 on the new “Loft Hotel,” one of the first three to open including Plano (Dallas,) Texas and Providence, Rhode Island.  They plan to have 50 hotels by 2010 around the U.S.

For business travelers on Denver’s northwest side this is sure to be a nice change from the usual sterile corporate hotels that are plunked down near the office parks.   For tourists visiting Boulder, especially students at C.U.,  it may draw those looking for a high end designer appeal.  By local standards I consider Broomfield a hike from downtown Denver, however if the popular RTD “B” bus line stops near the Loft Hotel, and if a Fastracks commuter rail station is located nearby, (some years away,)  that will certainly add to the accessibility factor.

NYLO hotels feature red brick and glass construction, 11-foot ceilings, extra-large windows and custom furnishings. They also will have flat-screen TVs, free high-speed Internet connections as well as CD and DVD players.   The heart of each hotel will be “The Loft” common area, where guests can have cocktails, check e-mail, read the paper and relax. Other hotel amenities range from gym with steam rooms and business center to restaurant/bar and game room.   Started in 2005, NYLO offers what it calls a new class of hotel with spacious 300-square-foot, loft-type rooms at affordable rates of $115 to $135 per night, according to Hospitality Net. The company initially said its hotels would cost $90,000 a room to build, putting the Broomfield property at roughly $16 million.

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I’d hate to be living a life where I actually found myself climbing into this futuristic little pod on a regular basis.  But everyone has benefited from a 20 minute nap at one point, and there’s no better “away from the bed” method than this.

Christopher Lindholst and Arshad Chowdhury opened up “Metronaps” in New York’s Empire State Building to the delight of groggy commuters around the area.   Their 42nd floor station has several of these “nap pods,” with a built in alarm clock, mints, and hot towel when you awake.   

Each 20 minute nap is $14.  The Metronap “napologists” (ok I just made that up)  have assured us that a 20 minute nap is beneficial, but personally I prefer a nap of about 30-35 minutes to feel fully refreshed. 

From a travel angle an excellent use of Metronaps would be for the visitor arriving New York in the morning after a fidgety red eye flight from the west coast.   Why not?  See the view from the Empire State Building, then recharge for an evening out.   JetBlue flies Denver - N.Y. at 12am, which saves time by not eating up an entire day of flying, but any flight like that is bound to leave your head in a fog the first day.   I’d definitely use Metronaps on that schedule.

More about Metronaps at this Healthy Living NYC article

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Despite being a gay owned Bed and Breakfast catering to gay travelers and being located in the center of the gayest neighborhood of Chicago, the Villa Toscana Guest House is an excellent place to stay for travelers of any preference. Located at 3447 North Halsted, the Villa Toscana is buffered from the bar and restaurant lined street with a lush front yard and large leafy trees. By the time you step through the front door you don’t even hear any traffic. There are three guest rooms on the second floor and a first floor guest suite. The entire house is a peaceful and quiet urban retreat, and you feel as if you’re a regular Chicagoan coming home, perhaps commiserating the Cubs Thursday loss. (Go Rockies.)

When traveling to Chicago I always recommend staying just north of downtown in the more residential areas, as opposed to the large hotels in or near the loop. This gives you a less touristy experience, and you’ll find more to do at night as these neighborhood restaurants and pubs are open serving the locals. The sights of downtown are easily accessible via the CTA’s Red Line El train, and you’ll find it more “homey” returning to a house or small hotel near parks and the lakeshore.

Our room on a Thursday night was $120, with breakfast included of course. Most hotels in the area run upwards of $175, making a “home away from home” location such as this more preferable than a hotel, and more affordable.

Online at thevillatoscana.com

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From the Rocky Mountain News: A-Basin steps up it’s marketing and size.  I’ve always recommended A-Basin as a low key destination for those visiting and skiing in Summit County.  It’s relatively small compared to the large resorts of Keystone and Breckenridge.  It’s close to all other Summit County resorts with local bus service, and it’s easy to get from street to slopes without being bogged down by shops, remote parking, and masses of people trundling along with you.

As A-Basin prepares to almost double in size this winter, ski area officials here hope the $3 million expansion will raise the area’s profile among out-of-state visitors and address some of the crowding it has experienced as it becomes more popular among local residents.

“More and more people are discovering Arapahoe,” said Alan Henceroth, chief operating officer of the 61-year-old ski area. “But if you go out of state, people don’t really know about us.”  With 400 acres of new trails on the backside of its summit, the area could prove an even stronger draw this season for Front Range residents. Its location on the western side of Loveland Pass makes it one of the closest ski areas to Denver.

From CNN Travel:  The Chambers Hotel in Minneapolis brings a chic look to the frosty midwest metropolis.  Following the lead of Kimpton’s chain, the Chambers bring a fresh look and vibe to the downtown Minneapolis area.  I would definitely stay here when hitting the Twin Cities.  But no mini rooftop swimming pool ala Yucatan’s Hotel Basico?  Just a thought for those muggy summer nights…

As much a local haunt as a business hub, the hotel’s airy lobby lures a crowd of twentysomethings in screen-printed T-shirts, glammed-up theatergoers, and after-work suits. Come night, they hit the clubby rooftop bar and courtyard fire pit next to Angus Fairhurst’s one-armed gorilla sculpture.

website at chambersminneapolis.com

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The Pickwick Arms hotel in New York has redesigned and rebranded itself as “the POD”.  They perfectly capture the line “It’s not the size but how you use it”.  And similar to Miss Sophie’s in Prague the POD combines minimalist design with funky colors, modern lighting, clean lines, and practical features.   Shared baths for the bunks and singles, and private baths for the queens and kings.

And $139 for a private room in New York?  Not bad.  Their site…

NY Daily News Article Below:

Seek inner peas at Pod Hotel  - East Side rooms are a tight fit but won’t squeeze the budget 

BY NICOLE CARTER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Sunday, June 24th 2007, 4:00 AM
Among the amenities is an iHome docking station so you can plug in your iPod and stay tuned into your own playlist. The pod people have arrived - the Pod Hotel people, that is.

The hip new hotel nuzzled between Second and Third Aves. on 51st St. in Manhattan offers travelers the opportunity to board in style without breaking their budget.With rooms starting at $89 a night, the Pod Hotel is the first in the U.S. to tout the power of the “pod,” a concept that promotes socializing between guests and maximizes small spaces.

And, yes, a majority of the rooms are small. But general manager David Bernstein insists that’s not a problem. “Sure, we could have knocked down some walls to make bigger rooms at $400-500 a night,” he explained, “But we knew we had a market here, so we left the rooms as the sizes they are and charged less.”

The 347-room hotel, formerly the Pickwick Arms Hotel, is redecked in mod furnishings and must-have amenities: flat-screen TVs, free wireless Internet and iPod docking stations in every room. The concept for the Pod Hotel comes from smaller, doorless rooms designed for travelers in Japan, but built here with more privacy.

The smallest rooms are about 100 square feet. They include bunk beds and a transit-inspired vanity station that looks like a cleaner version of an airplane sink. Single rooms and bunk bed rooms don’t have private bathrooms - a sign above the door lights up to let you know which of the four shared bathrooms are occupied.

Double rooms, priced at $139 a night for about 150 square feet, come with a private bathroom, bigger flat-screen TV and more storage space as the bed frame provides drawers. Outside the pods, the lobby features ample schmoozing room with chairs and couches, a spacious outdoor cafe, and an airy rooftop deck.  And lone voyagers worry not, the hotel provides a community blog where you can link up with other travelers and reserves large tables at neighborhood restaurants - in case you’re without a dinner date.

AMENITIES

iHome docking station: Plug in your iPod and keep your favorite music with you when you’re away from home.

Vanity: Sink stocked with towels and soap.
Flat-screen TV: LCD TVs on flexible mounts in every room.
Directions: On the back of every door, a reminder to “Make room for fun.”

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I love hostels and small boutique hotels. But would I overnight at a furniture store? Hmm, no. But if you’re passing through Norway and care to spend the night in Ikea store you’re in luck. They’ve opened a hostel at their Oslo location.

Now I could go camping in the downtown Denver REI flagship warehouse store downtown I wouldn’t turn that down.

I love Gizmodo’s comment:

The Ikea in Oslo is opening up a free hostel for shoppers who want to continue the clusterfuck that is the Ikea shopping experience for day two. 30 participants will get free dinner, breakfast and the joy of sleeping on dormitory-style beds. Plus, shoppers keep the sheets (good call), a bathrobe and slippers, too. For those who area looking for a more romantic getaway, Ikea is happy to oblige…

And the Guardian article:

It brought us Swedish meatballs, Billy bookshelves and endless queues on the London North Circular on Saturday afternoons. Now Ikea is going one step further and opening the Ikea Hostel, where customers can stay overnight if they haven’t finished their shopping. Later this month, Ikea Norway will let shoppers sleep overnight in one of its two Oslo warehouses, an operation that will last a week. “It will be like an alternative hostel,” said company spokesman Frode Ullebust.

“There will be the regular dormitory with lots of beds stacked up together. We will also have a bridal suite, with a round bed and a hanging chandelier, and the luxury suite, where customers can enjoy breakfast in bed,” he said. Family rooms will also be available for parents and children to join into the Ikea fun. None of the guests will be charged for their stay.Mr Ullebust said that, as far as he knew, this was Ikea’s first foray into the hotel business. Every night, the 30 lucky few will be able to stack up on meatballs, Norwegian salmon and cranberry mousse, as Ikea is offering free dinner and breakfast at the usual canteen.

Whereas Brits may associate the Swedish furniture giant with screaming kids, traffic jams in the parking lot and an occassional riot when a new warehouse opens, it seems Norwegians see a trip to Ikea as the ultimate tourist attraction.”Around 900,000 visitors come to visit Ikea during the summer holidays. It’s more than one of the biggest attractions in Norway, the Holmenskollen ski jump, gets in one year,” claimed Mr Ullebust. “We have five Ikea stores in Norway, all situated next to the four biggest cities, which are all in the south in the country. We found that people from the north of Norway include a visit to Ikea as part of their holidays,” said the spokesman. “The Ikea Hostel will make the destination complete.” Overnight stayers can check in to their new abodes from 10pm, an hour before closing time, but will have to be quick in the morning. “The shop opens at 10am so if they are lazy, people might get woken up by shoppers testing out their mattresses,” said Mr Ullebust.

Customers will also be able to take their bedsheets home afterwards. “It’s a nice souvenir,” he added, “We will also give them bathrobes with the Ikea Hostel logo on, and some slippers, so they won’t get cold at night.”

Anyone planning a visit? Leave me a note below :)

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Arriving by train in the old town of Cesky Krumlov we took a taxi to the town center, about three miles, and hunted around for a place to spend the next two days.  We hadn’t made any reservations as we knew the town was full of pensions, or the European equivalent of a U.S. bed and breakfast.

We started in the main square but found it busy and crowded, so we walked through some alleys until we crossed the river.  We knocked on the door of the Pension u Kaplièky, but received no response.  We continued walking around a corner and up a hill, but realized we were about a mile from the city by then.  We returned and passed the u Kaplièky once more, admiring it’s big back yard adjacent to the river.  We found the “real” door and met a nice woman, her husband, and  their son of about 10 or so. 

Inside of the old church were two beautifully appointed guest suites.  Ours was a room in the front half of the second floor, up a refreshingly cool walkway inside the old stone building.  Communication was challenging as neither of us speak Czech,  but with Caleb’s German we managed to figure out the rate, and we were handed the keys with a smile.

The best part of our two days came daily at 8am, when we were brought in a cart of fresh breakfast for us.  Ham and cheese croissiants, scrambled eggs, bananas, tea, pancakes with powdered sugar, and pastries.   I’ve never had a breakfast that filling before. 

Unfortunately I didn’t recall our the names of our hosts, but when I find it I’ll post it should anyone want to make a reservation.  They’re wonderful people, and you’ll have an excellent stay. 

Info:  Pension u kaplièky, Linecká 60, Ceský Krumlov 381 01, Telephone: +420 380 714 123, +420 380 712 844 Mobile phone: +420 606 434 090

ukaplicky@ckrumlov.cz   www.ckrumlov.cz/ukaplicky

Below: An alley near the hotel, and our room.

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In searching for a place to stay in Prague I was about to select Sir Toby’s, located in Prague 7. Sir Toby’s was located across the river in Prague 7, which actually was a great area when we visited the restaurant “Prague Cats.” I ended up making a reservation at Miss Sophie’s - which is owned by the same people as Sir Toby’s, but located in Prague 2, also known as New Town.

This turned out to be a wonderful location. The central part of Prague, (Prague 1,) is VERY touristy. Small hotels are crammed into the narrow alleys which are FULL of tourists and shoppers day and night. Miss Sophie’s is located south of Wenceslas Square near the I.P. Pavlova metro station. Close enough to easily reach all activities and sights in Prague. But separate enough to feel away from it at the end of the night and visit restaurants that are cheaper and have a more local flavor.

After arriving from our long train ride from Munich (due to four transfers,) we hauled ourselves to the metro station and stared at the machine in bewilderment at how to purchase tickets. As with my arrival at the Munich airport I figured no fare inspector will hassle you for not having the exact ticket required- just as along as you HAVE a ticket for around the correct amount. The Prague subway is easy with only three lines, and we took the red line two stops down, exited the large I.P. Pavlova station and walked three blocks to Miss Sophie’s.

Above: Prague metro: Mustek Station and I.P. Pavlova. Below: Miss Sophie’s

Miss Sophie’s is a small boutique hotel, astonishingly modern given the historical surroundings of the city. As such is Prague: hip clubs, trendy furniture stores, and modern restaurants sit juxtaposed or hidden in cellars along the centuries old castles and houses. The furnishings of Miss Sophie’s are minimal and modern. Lights turn on automatically in the bathroom. The shower is stone and glass with a metal grate. The beds comfortable, and being on a side street the street noise is relatively quiet.

The neighborhood of Prague 2 is and excellent place to base yourself as a “temporary local.” Even though it’s only two miles or a quick subway ride to the old town square it’s a world away. You’ll see mostly locals bustling about office buildings, running errands, or running for the trams that constantly snake through the streets. This area also has an enormous selection of small cafes and markets. At times when we didn’t want to sit down for a full meal we’d pop into a market, order some sliced meat, grab some bread from the many baskets and make a quick sandwich. Miss Sophie’s has two free internet terminals, but there are also a few internet cafes in the area, and a nearby laundromat,

For breakfast we ended up eating at Banditos, a Mexican restaurant located directly across the street from Miss Sophie’s, and for dinner two nights we visited the Pivovarsky Dum restaurant.

Miss Sophie’s is located at Melounova 3, at Melounova and Jecna. If taking a cab home it’s best to just tell them “I.P. Pavlova Metro,”and walk the two blocks. We found both trips in a cabs the driver didn’t know where this tiny street angled street was located.

They’re at: www.miss-sophies.com

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The name sounds cheesy, or sleazy, or yeah - easy, but the Easy Palace Hotel in Munich was the perfect location for our time in Munich.  I didn’t have a clue about the area other than knowing that the enormous central train station was a good hub to base yourself at. I saw online and from Google Earth that the Easy Palace Hotel was literally steps from the entrance to the train/UBahn/SBahn station, along a relatively quiet pedestrian street.

The hotel is a standard European small hotel.  There’s five stories and it’s sandwiched between some other buildings.  A large wide staircase wraps through the center and a small elevator serves those with luggage, or those not caring for a hike up the stairs.  The interior is standard and although the carpet is a bit shabby we found ourselves content and at home here.  We stayed in two rooms, one before our trip to Prague and then a during our remaining three days back in Munich.  Both were clean, quiet, and comfortable.

Like many smaller hotels they offer a free breakfast in the morning.  We enjoyed cold cuts, cheese, muffins, fruit, cereal and fresh coffee - and it ends up being a real money and time saver too.  By night it’s a restaurant serving standard German and American food which a small selection of beers.   The restaurant atmosphere is perfect for that night when you’ve partied for the past few days and just want to stay in and chat with some new friends.

The young staff was friendly and helpful.  There’s someone on duty at all hours - everyone was very helpful with any questions, and they made sure we were up the morning of our flight home as well.

Easy Palace also operates the Easy Palace City Hostel, near the Octoberfest grounds.

Their English site is at www.easypalace.de/english/index.html

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While traveling through the south we made an impromptu decision to hit New Orleans. From a Tuscaloosa motel I scoped the internet for a bed and breakfast, knowing that even post Katrina B&Bs still populated the French Quarter, and we’d get a good insight into New Orleans by staying with someone rather than through a hotel window.

Carl has owned the Burgundy for many years, and gave me a warm invitation by telephone. Five hours later, after driving past the eerily empty suburbs of New Orleans drove around the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood until we honed it on his house.

The Burgundy Bed and Breakfast is located in a beautiful long old home. Known as “shotgun” houses, often you can see, (or shoot), from the front door all the way through the rear. The residence was immaculate on the outside and inside. High ceilings, bright colors, modern and tasteful, we immediately felt at home. Our host Carl gave us a primer navigating the winding grid of streets.

I found the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood to be a wonderful quiet area full of beautiful homes and small businesses. When traveling to a large city, especially if I only have a few days to spend, I prefer to base myself in one residential area in order to better absorb the local scene and pace of life.

Carl was a wonderful host.  We had an excellent breakfast each morning and met another gay couple from the Netherlands that was also doing a deep south road trip.

www.theburgundy.com

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Found this January article from the New York Times about the Hotel Basico. Even if a bit north of your budget the rooftop lounge is a great place to spend the evening enjoying drinks and music, as I did last spring.

Photo and NY Times article:

THE BASICS The Deseo Hotel and Lounge was the first to bring a sophisticated South Beach aesthetic to Playa del Carmen, the popular Yucatán getaway, when it opened in 2001. In July, the same owners opened a second property, the stripped-down, industrial-chic Hotel Básico, along the town’s pedestrian Avenida Quinta, a block from the beach. An open-air, street-level food stall and juice bar doubles as the reception area, where colorful soccer balls, beach towels and snorkeling fins for guest use share shelf space with espresso machines and water glasses. A trawling net filled with spare deck chairs hangs whimsically above the soaring lobby.

THE ROOMS The 15 rooms all have female names. Mine, the Paulina, had floor-to-ceiling windows and a sea view, but looked out more immediately at the vacant lot across the street. There is a distinctly modern beach flair: white concrete walls are hung with huge inflatable inner tubes, flat-screen televisions and stacks of towels. Instead of a night table, a wooden toolbox mounted on the wall opens to reveal a remote control, a notepad, matches, an ashtray and Polaroid film for the white camera that is attached to the king-size bed, rather naughtily, by a long silver chain. Cushy pillow-top mattresses, oversized pillows and pristine white cotton sheets are extremely comfortable, but a good night’s sleep is best assured with earplugs, as the upstairs bar spins music into the wee hours. There is not a lot of storage space, but luggage racks and hidden drawers slide out from under the bed.

(more…)

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Yours is a very bad motel. Well, the motel is a wonderfully shabby dive that I felt completely comfortable in. The owners however, merit this tedious tale.

When I read customer reviews on travel websites and newsgroups, I occasionally come across long bitchy reports about how horrible a flight was, or how terrible the service was at X restaurant and the like because things weren’t absolutely perfect. My immediate thoughts are, “What high maintenance pain in the ass customers”, and wonder why people are incapable of such inflexibility or being happy without perfection. I expect surprises when traveling, and it makes it all the more spontaneous and interesting. Except for last weekend, which of course requires the detailed and wordy review I detest:

(more…)

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This hot summer day we headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park late morning for an afternoon of hiking.  We made it halfway up Long’s Peak, and around 2pm started crossing paths with many hikers returning from the summit, or at least an attempt to the summit.  I’ve never acsented to the top as it requires a 3am start.  Unfortunately I’m not one that can count myself in the “14er” club yet, as in the summer I prefer camping in the wilderness as opposed to long strenous hikes.  (That and cycling is my preferred cardio choice.)

We drove a few miles down highway 7 to Estes Park, a popular tourist town packed with RVs and full of the typical small tourist town sights:   Taffy shops and souvenir stores selling the typical kitch, but Estes Park also has one nice pool hall, an independent bookstore, and some good restaurants.

Upon arriving at the Stanley Hotel we must have appeared more grubby and sweaty than I thought, because we were given the artic cold shoulder by the lobby staff who was busy shuffling hordes of wedding guests around in and out of various rooms.  

We checked in, showered up, and went out for dinner.  Returning late at night we wandered around the property exploring some of the haunted nooks and crannies found among the long corridors and wide Titanic-esque staircase. Turns out the cute little room we had, complete with a dormer window, was right around the corner from room 407 which is supposedly haunted. 

I took a photo inside of the elevator and captured this.  Apparently it’s some sort of ectoplasic string of energy. (X-files theme here.)  Art Bell has not returned my e-mail.

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