Hotels FAQ » Safe Hotel

Hotel in central Madrid

admin — Tue, 05 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Hi John! > I am possibly staying at the Hotel Regente in the centre of Madrid, > but I want to find out if it is okay – the cost is relatively cheap, > but have found mixed comments about it elsewhere on the net. Does > anyone who has stayed there before think it is okay, especially: okay > rooms, not noisy (street traffic?) and safe.

Madrid’s Gran V

Pacific Princess This Year?

admin — Sat, 26 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Is the Pacific Princess scheduled to sail this year, if so, do you recommend it? Will it be Bermuda? Will the New York port be reopened in 2002? Another, NY question. If we sail in the summer from NYC can you recommend a reasonable and safe hotel as we would like to sightsee for a few days while in the city? Thanks. Pat in FL

Response:

Virtually any hotel that is part of a chain (from Ritz-Carlton to Days Inn) is very safe. Just use common sense and don’t do anything here that you wouldn’t do at home. Steve

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Is the Pacific Princess scheduled to sail this year, if so, do you > recommend it? Will it be Bermuda? Will the New York port be reopened > in 2002? Another, NY question. If we sail in the summer from NYC can > you recommend a reasonable and safe hotel as we would like to sightsee > for a few days while in the city? > Thanks. > Pat in FL

Response:

The Pacific Princess will be sailing to Bermuda this summer season. It will be the last sailing of the Pacific Princess with Princess Cruises. Yes, the port of new your will be open for the summer season. sue – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Is the Pacific Princess scheduled to sail this year, if so, do you > recommend it? Will it be Bermuda? Will the New York port be reopened > in 2002? Another, NY question. If we sail in the summer from NYC can > you recommend a reasonable and safe hotel as we would like to sightsee > for a few days while in the city? > Thanks. > Pat in FL

Response:

Virtually any hotel that is part of a chain (from Ritz-Carlton to Days Inn) is very safe. Just use common sense and don’t do anything here that you wouldn’t do at home. Steve

Response:

Information required about accomodation in Uganda

admin — Mon, 29 Jan 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Hello all, I will be doing contract work for about 3 to 4 months all over Uganda this year, and will need to find accomodation in pretty remote spots, sometimes in larger towns, sometimes in small towns, and occasionally in rural areas. Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? I’m happy to pitch a tent and camp for several days if nesessary, but would require a safe area with some (even rudimentary) ablutions. Obviously, a clean, cheap, and safe hotel may be a better option. What are my choices, what should I look out for, and what will I have to pay etc. Any advice posted to this NG would be very much appreciated. Regards, Marc – Johannesburg, South Africa.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hello all, >I will be doing contract work for about 3 to 4 months all over Uganda >this year, and will need to find accomodation in pretty remote spots, >sometimes in larger towns, sometimes in small towns, and occasionally >in rural areas. >Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? I’m happy to >pitch a tent and camp for several days if nesessary, but would require >a safe area with some (even rudimentary) ablutions. Obviously, a >clean, cheap, and safe hotel may be a better option. >What are my choices, what should I look out for, and what will I have >to pay etc. >Any advice posted to this NG would be very much appreciated. >Regards, >Marc – Johannesburg, South Africa.

Marc I have quite some experience in Uganda in the sort of circumstances you give above. Essentially you are looking at remote rural places, small towns, District Towns which are larger and probably also in the capital Kampala. Safety as you say is a factor. First Safety: The northern two thirds of the country is considered unsafe as is the border area with the Congo. Take a look at the British FCO web site on www.fco.gov.uk for "official" information on the present situation. I would say that the British High Commission in Kampala errs on the side of extreme caution and I have been into most of the areas on the warning list without problem. However others clearly have not been so lucky. In the danger areas I would suggest you stay and good hotels or with religious missions. For example at Kasese is the Margarita Hotel which is well guarded. I have stayed there many times. there is also a Catholic Mission in the town. Further north there a good local hotels which are clean but you really need to talk to people with local experience before entering the area so that you can find the latest news. In Lira the Pentecostal Bishop there is quite knowledgeable and open about the situation further north. In my opinion it would not be advisable to stay in school grounds in the border areas as schools have been raided and children taken over the border or killed. A lot depends upon rebel activity at the time. Things seem fairly quiet at the moment. Second the rest: In rural areas and indeed areas with only travellers hotels (and maybe no hotels at all) I would always sleep in a tent. It is easier to control your own environment in a tent and keep safe from Mosquitoes. I usually find the local boarding school and sleep in the school grounds. I would consider these safe areas in most of Uganda. I have the advantage here of having close contacts with the Education system around the country. You will have to establish your own connections but there are similar safe company or religious establishments around the country you could use. The Church of Uganda and other Religions have hostels around the Country which are good and welcoming. They are cheap by UK standards and I love staying in them. Main contact would be the Namirembe Guest House in Kampala run by the Church of Uganda. Many of the former Uganda Hotels are now in private hands and offer good to fair accommodation. Certainly most of the District (capital) towns would have such an hotel. I would not stay in a travellers hotel as all those I have ever experienced are little more than a soil floor and a mat to sleep on with the dangers of mosquitoes. Cost of Namirembe and similar places around 14,000 UgS including breakfast. Good hotels in the capital 20,000 UgS plus meals. Better hotels such as The Speke in Kampala anything up to $120 US per night. So allow roughly 20,000 UgS per day for hotels inc breakfast and you should be in profit. If you pitch a tent you must negotiate your own fee. Write to me direct with any more questions. CHRIS — Chris Wilkinson

Response:

<<>>Main contact would be the Namirembe Guest House in Kampala run by the Church of Uganda.<<>> I agree with Chris about COU guest houses. I have stayed at Namirembe at least ten times and many other COU gest houses out in the country. Namirembe Guest House 1085 Wills Road* P O Box 141270 Kampala, Uganda 256-41-272-071 *Wills Road is off Namirembe Road

Response:

Berlin/and Zurich Accomodations

admin — Tue, 23 Jan 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

I will be spending one night in Zurich and four nights in Berlin, late November. If anyone can recommend a centrally located, very secure (safe) hotel or pension in the $80. price range it would be of great help to me. thanks. Ruth

Response:

The Holiday Inn E. Prenzlauer Allee is probably perfect for your needs..straight down the street to Alexanderplatz… It’s clean ..modern…very efficient..(what isn’t in Germany) and has great breakfasts.. Enjoy, Heather

Response:

> I will be spending one night in Zurich and four nights in Berlin, late > November. If anyone can recommend a centrally located, very secure > (safe) hotel or pension in the $80. price range it would be of great > help to me. thanks. Ruth

My German family in Hamburg travel to Berlin for overnights a lot, and we always head to: Hotel Pension Funk Fasanenstr.69 10719 Berlin Tel: 030 8827193 It is friendly, has loads of old-Berlin character, and has a fabulous location half a block off the Ku’damm. By ’safe’ I take it you mean in a safe neighborhood–it is in a classy neighborhood with great restaurants close by–and you’ll probably pay $80 or less. To dial from the states you have to call (they speak English): 011 – 49 - 30 - 8827193 intl ger berlin local #

Response:

Hote Berliner Hof near the Zoo meets these requirements-stayed there several times-good breakfast too.Has web site. mu

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I will be spending one night in Zurich and four nights in Berlin, late > November. If anyone can recommend a centrally located, very secure > (safe) hotel or pension in the $80. price range it would be of great > help to me. thanks. Ruth

Response:

Hote Berliner Hof near the Zoo meets these requirements-stayed there several times-good breakfast too.Has web site. mu

Response:

Vegas Before Christmas-$1/nite Hotel

admin — Wed, 01 Nov 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

>-Don’t forget that Vegas still leads the nation in "assault crimes" (eg >beatings, stabbings, robbery). Any walk in Vegas, off the strip, IMO is >playing with fire. Personally, being able to walk to all the cool casinos >and then being able to just head down the strip to my room at the Mirage,

The Holiday Inn Boardwalk Casino is right next to some very expensive hotels that have some very good restaurants. The restaurants at the Holiday Inn stinks. It is in the middle of the strip between Bellagio and NYNY Hotel. The hotel is owned by Steve Wynn. I think he bought it for its location. It certainly isn’t up to his usual quality hotels. But for $1/night I don’t expect much except a place to sleep and to walk to the other fancy hotels. Ira Zimmerman

Response:

I live in Vegas! i walk down the strip in the middle of the night with no fear!! I am a rather attractive female! The "assults’ are in the old sleezy part of town, far away from the strip! The Holiday Inn Boardwalk, is a clean and safe hotel. other bargin hotels include the Sahara, Excalaber, Trop, Maxims, Barnaby Coast, Riviera, Frontier, and Stardust. These are all top notch and will have rooms for $29 to $49 per night. The city fill the showrooms by offering locals 2 for 1 tickets after the national rodeo finals and Christmas. I use to live in Orange County and LA, and this is 1000 times safer!!! Lor

Response:

Has anyone thought about flying to Las Vegas before Christmas? This is usually a slow period for the hotel casinos there and the rates can be pretty low. Here is something that some may find hard to believe, but it is true. I just got a $1/night Priceline.com bid accepted for 4 nights accommodations at the Holiday Inn Casino-Boardwalk. While this is not a really impressive hotel by Las Vegas standards, it is in a great location on the strip about 0.5 mile walk to NYNY and MGM Grand. This is right before Christmas which used to be pretty slow in Vegas. Although I don’t think that things are really ever slow in Vegas due to their great marketing of Vegas as family vacation spot. The hotel has a Coney Island theme which may remind me of my youth. I spend many summer nights sleeping on Coney Island beach when the weather got too hot to sleep in our apartment. We didn’t have air conditioning. Ira Zimmerman

Response:

Can’t say I can beat $1/night for a hotel, but in Vegas, my experience has been that you truly do get what you pay for. I was in Vegas (one of about 20 trips total to Vegas) last year for Xmas also and this is what I found: -The crowds are not going be as small you would expect them to be. You’ll have a hard time believing that you’re there on a major holiday because someone forgot to tell the blackjack dealer that just took your $50 bet . -Don’t fool around with anything else, get a room on the strip. Last year, I got a "cheap" room at the Mirage for $100/night, which is GREAT for a room on the strip. The time and money you’ll save will be worth the expense, service is much better and you’ll be much more comfortable all around. -Don’t forget that Vegas still leads the nation in "assault crimes" (eg beatings, stabbings, robbery). Any walk in Vegas, off the strip, IMO is playing with fire. Personally, being able to walk to all the cool casinos and then being able to just head down the strip to my room at the Mirage, Venetian, Paris, etc is MUCH better than having to head down some dark street and try to find my hotel. Good luck, Dennis

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Has anyone thought about flying to Las Vegas before Christmas? This is usually > a slow period for the hotel casinos there and the rates can be pretty low. > Here is something that some may find hard to believe, but it is true. > I just got a $1/night Priceline.com bid accepted for 4 nights accommodations at > the Holiday Inn Casino-Boardwalk. While this is not a really impressive hotel > by Las Vegas standards, it is in a great location on the strip about 0.5 mile > walk to NYNY and MGM Grand. This is right before Christmas which used to be > pretty slow in Vegas. Although I don’t think that things are really ever slow > in Vegas due to their great marketing of Vegas as family vacation spot. > The hotel has a Coney Island theme which may remind me of my youth. I spend > many summer nights sleeping on Coney Island beach when the weather got too hot > to sleep in our apartment. We didn’t have air conditioning. > Ira Zimmerman

Response:

WHERE TO GO??? I Just Received a A Free Airline Ticket

admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

I just received a free round-trip airline ticket to anywhere Sun Country flys. Choices are Puerto Vallerta, Cancun, Costa, Montego Bay, St Thomas, St Maarten, or Aruba. I am looking for something clean – safe – hotel on the beach for under $100 a day – beautiful beaches with turquoise water. Has anyone been to a few of these tropical paradises and can compare them? I know I have to do my homework also BUT just thought I’d get other peoples opinions! Thank you so much for any info you can give me! Marilyn

Response:

>I just received a free round-trip airline ticket to anywhere Sun Country >flys. >Choices are Puerto Vallerta, Cancun, Costa, Montego Bay, St Thomas, St >Maarten, or Aruba. >I am looking for something clean – safe – hotel on the beach for under >$100 a day – beautiful beaches with turquoise water. >Has anyone been to a few of these tropical paradises and can compare >them? >I know I have to do my homework also BUT just thought I’d get other >peoples opinions! >Thank you so much for any info you can give me!

Well, a hotel on the beach for under $100 a day (I assume you’re talking per room, not per person) is a bit of a challenge, but certainly possible. Don’t expect any luxury, though. There are certainly hotels in P.V. which would fit the price bill, such as the Playa Los Arcos, but the waters are not your warm, turquoise Caribbean waters, but rather cooler and less clear Pacific waters. Saint Thomas and Montego Bay would not come to my mind as among the safest places in the Caribbean (quite the opposite). You can feel safe in the compounds of luxury hotels in those areas, but I wouldn’t vouch for how you’d feel in budget hotels. St. Martin and Aruba are safer (especially Aruba), and have nice beaches and water. However, I have a feeling you won’t find a hotel for under $100 a night on the beach in those places. Among the choices you’ve listed, Cancun is the most likely to meet all you requirements. The beaches and sand are wonderful, the water warm and clear, and it’s quite safe by Caribbean standards (MUCH safer than St. Thomas or Jamaica–St. Thomas in particular can be really scary). You will also find a number of hotels costing under $100 a night on the beach. Aquamarina Beach Hotel and Aristos Cancun Hotel would be two examples. Of course, Cancun is not the place for a quiet, secluded vacation. Nor would I describe Cancun as very "Caribbean" in flavor. I definitely think it’s the best choice for your requirements given your limitations, however. I think you’d have a great time there.

Response:

marilyn-download 1-800-jamaica.com and plan and dream. MBJ(sunset beach) is great for that price. download Sunset Beach and Spa.com and email them. good luck! jcs

Response:

Cancun would be your choice. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I just received a free round-trip airline ticket to anywhere Sun Country >flys. >Choices are Puerto Vallerta, Cancun, Costa, Montego Bay, St Thomas, St >Maarten, or Aruba. >I am looking for something clean – safe – hotel on the beach for under >$100 a day – beautiful beaches with turquoise water. >Has anyone been to a few of these tropical paradises and can compare >them? >I know I have to do my homework also BUT just thought I’d get other >peoples opinions! >Thank you so much for any info you can give me! >Marilyn

Response:

Go to Aruba. Doubt u can get under 100.00 but maybe at Amsterdam Manor? Ann — Caribbean Wind&Sun Vacations PO Box 820, South Dennis, MA 02660 USA Phone: (508)385-8174, Fax: (508)385-4306 URL: http://www.antiguacaribbean.com

Response:

PRAGUE—-hotel

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Can someone please suggest a GOOD hotel—-I just mean that price is not a factor — I would just like to be in a safe hotel and one that is in a location in the city center where sights, restaurants and activities are close by. Thank you for your help. John

Response:

5* palace praha, Panska 12, tel 02/24093122, approx. 270$ 3* koruna, Opatovicka 16, tel 02/24915174, approx. 80$ both have a very central location, the latter situated in a quiet area. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can someone please suggest a GOOD hotel—-I just mean that price is not a > factor — I would just like to be in a safe hotel and one that is in a > location in the city center where sights, restaurants and activities are close > by. > Thank you for your help. > John

Response:

>Can someone please suggest a GOOD hotel—-I just mean that price is not a >factor — I would just like to be in a safe hotel and one that is in a >location in the city center where sights, restaurants and activities are >close >by.

I liked the Diplomat. Cec

Response:

Just came back from Prague.Stayed at the new Marriott.Beautiful new hotel in a good area right on the edge of the old town.Great intro rates that may have gone up,but still cheaper than other 1st class hotels.Check Marriott site for availability and prices.

Response:

I liked the Diplomat. Cec

Response:

Amsterdam: Hotel tips please

admin — Mon, 10 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Hi: I’ll be in Amsterdam shortly and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a clean, safe hotel in the $75/night, f150 price range. Thanks! Scott Westport, CT USA

Response:

Try Hotel Maas at http://www.hotelmaas.nl/ Cok Hotels are nice…. I prefer the tourist class at the hotel near Vondel Park…the Cok City Hotel is ok, but is quieter out by the park. Frequent trams nearby http://www.cokhotels.nl/ Hope this helps. . – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi: > I’ll be in Amsterdam shortly and was wondering if anyone had any > recommendations for a clean, safe hotel in the $75/night, f150 price > range. > Thanks! > Scott > Westport, CT > USA

Response:

Hi: I’ll be in Amsterdam shortly and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a clean, safe hotel in the $75/night, f150 price range. Thanks! Scott Westport, CT USA

Response:

hotels in Yucatan & Quintana Roo

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

We plan to rent a car at the airport in Cancun & do a tour of the Yucatan. The first night, we plan to stay in either Vallodolid or Chichen Itza. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced, clean & safe hotel in those areas? Then we plan to spend a few nights at the Caribe in Merida. Any comments on this hotel? Then to Akumal where we are booked into the Vista del Mar hotel. Our last nights we are considering the Mosquito Blue in Playa del Carmen. I would like suggestions & advice from anyone familiar with this route & the accomodations I have mentioned. Thanks. Dan — Dan Bergen "A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." – Lao Tzu (570-490 BC)

Response:

> We plan to rent a car at the airport in Cancun & do a tour of the > Yucatan. The first night, we plan to stay in either Vallodolid or > Chichen Itza. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced, clean & safe > hotel in those areas?

In Valladolid the Hotel Meson de Marques is the best hotel in the town, beautiful, colonial building, air conditioned, with a fantastic restaurant, pool and a garden courtyard. Very reasonably priced. In Chichen Itza, The Hotel Dolores Alba is just beautiful and very inexpensive. — *Julie Holm, Northern Virginia, USA DoD #1604 *Virago Rider, avid cross-stitcher, church musician, geek and mom *Official Armourer and Webmistress of the Nasty Girlie Gang http://www.ziplink.net/~holm You can get to the NGG there if you try!!! – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - "You can wait a lonely lifetime for a knock upon your door; Ships are safe inside the harbor, but is that what ships are for?" (From "Wake up and Dream" by Thom Bishop and Ed Tossing)

Response:

Hi, The last Hotel, Mosquito Blue , sure is a very fine Hotel in Playa del Carmen. I was there a month ago and I can only recommend it. More of this fine hotel and others is to be found in http://www.kuartos.com , you should take a look. You sure are planning a wonderful trip out here, any questions are welcome, I live in Cancun. Many sunny regards from Cancun, Kurt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We plan to rent a car at the airport in Cancun & do a tour of the > Yucatan. The first night, we plan to stay in either Vallodolid or > Chichen Itza. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced, clean & safe > hotel in those areas? > Then we plan to spend a few nights at the Caribe in Merida. Any comments > on this hotel? > Then to Akumal where we are booked into the Vista del Mar hotel. > Our last nights we are considering the Mosquito Blue in Playa del > Carmen. > I would like suggestions & advice from anyone familiar with this route & > the accomodations I have mentioned. > Thanks. > Dan > — > Dan Bergen > "A good traveller has no fixed plans > and is not intent on arriving." > – Lao Tzu (570-490 BC)

Response:

You’re right on with the Caribe in Merida. In Valladolid, I love the Meson del Marquez, right in the main square. The owner speaks English and is knowledgeable about obscure ruins in the area, if that interests you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >We plan to rent a car at the airport in Cancun & do a tour of the >Yucatan. The first night, we plan to stay in either Vallodolid or >Chichen Itza. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced, clean & safe >hotel in those areas? >Then we plan to spend a few nights at the Caribe in Merida. Any comments >on this hotel? >Then to Akumal where we are booked into the Vista del Mar hotel. >Our last nights we are considering the Mosquito Blue in Playa del >Carmen. >I would like suggestions & advice from anyone familiar with this route & >the accomodations I have mentioned. >Thanks. >Dan >– >Dan Bergen >"A good traveller has no fixed plans > and is not intent on arriving." > — Lao Tzu (570-490 BC)

Response:

I would stay at Valladolid over night. It is a nice town with lots of colonial culture. Valladolid used to be the capital of Yucatan and Hotel el Meson de Marques used to be the governer’s house, a nice old colonial building. A new wing with 15-20 rooms was built in 1997. I don’t recall that there were parking space availble for hotel guests, so you might need to park a few blocks away on the back street. The hotel is right on the town centre, there were few beggers hanging around the hotel entrance and the church. When you leave Chichen Itza for Merida, if you have time, you should visit Izamal, which was once the captial of Yucatan in the early colonial time. It is 72 kilometers east of Merida. There are several unexcavated pyramids within this small town. The most famous building is the Francisan Monastery. It was built on top of a pyramid in the 1500. Pope John Paul II performed a mass there in 1993 when he visited Yucatan.

Response:

My opinion also! Lars-Erik Nilsson

staying in San Juan

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

I need to stay overnight in San Juan in February before going on to Tortola. As I’ve never been to San Juan I need to find a nice, safe hotel near the airport for my family. What’s San Juan like are their areas to avoid. Any suggestions? sathwal

Response:

You might find some useful observations about San Juan in my article at http://www.softadventure.net/puertorico.htm If you have some time to see a bit of old San Juan, investigate staying at the Galeria San Juan, mentioned in the article. If you have no spare time, stay at the El Canario Inn, a historic B&B inn, at 1317 Ashford Avenue, Condado, San Juan, PR 00907, tel. 809/722-3861, fax 809/722-0391. You can get van transportation from the airport directly to the Inn. (Be sure they take you to the El Canario in the Condado; there is another El Canario elsewhere in San Juan.) I have stayed there a few times en route elsewhere in the Caribbean and have always been pleased. There are moderately-priced restaurants in the area, and there is a nice self-service breakfast that you can take in the Inn’s pleasant patio. If you do stay at either the Galeria or El Canario, I would appreciate it if you would tell me about your experience. It’s been a couple of years since I was there, and your feedback will help me to know whether to recommend them again. Many thanks. — Harlan — Soft adventure tours, the way to go, at http://softadventure.net Machu Picchu and the Galapagos (and more): http://softadventure.net/peru_ecuador.htm – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I need to stay overnight in San Juan in February before going on to Tortola. > As I’ve never been to San Juan I need to find a nice, safe hotel near the > airport for my family. What’s San Juan like are their areas to avoid. Any > suggestions? > sathwal

Response:

> I need to stay overnight in San Juan in February before going on to Tortola. > As I’ve never been to San Juan I need to find a nice, safe hotel near the > airport for my family. What’s San Juan like are their areas to avoid. Any > suggestions? > sathwal

I have stayed at the hotel in the airport and found it adequate, relatively inexpensive, and convenient.> Sue

Response:

Near the airport and safe? Check out http://www.traveler.net/htio/ohgreviews/d107778.html This is the hotel INSIDE the airport, 3rd level above the ticketing lobby. We use it when we have a late flight in and an early connection out; saves on time and the taxi bill. It’s a Motel 6 kind of place, VERY basic, but may suit your needs. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I need to stay overnight in San Juan in February before going on to Tortola. >As I’ve never been to San Juan I need to find a nice, safe hotel near the >airport for my family. What’s San Juan like are their areas to avoid. Any >suggestions? >sathwal