Fast forward to today and what you’re really paying for is all of the bad advertising and low rate actors that they suck into being obnoxious for their commercials.

Today, when I pulled up the site, I almost clicked off simply because of the very large man in the very ridiculous coat. Why does this feel like deja vu? So, what made me stay? The fact that I knew nothing about the area and just wanted to be given a hotel based on my preferences.

What I wasn’t prepared for  was to be only offered a king size bed for the three of us. When you want a king size bed, the staff often makes you feel like you’ve asked for a box of treasure! To get two smaller beds? Sacre bleu! “YOU” booked with…gasp, Priceline…and therefor are not worthy of two beds! Okay, so the fine print does say one or two beds, however, I felt like I was a leper for using the discount site and it’s not the first time.

So far, the hotel itself, aside from the sickly sweet  (which made the rudeness even worse) front desk lady, the hotel itself appears to be just fine. The room is quite large and modern for a 2.5star, with granite and wood, neutral colors and interesting graphic prints. Even the bathroom is quite large for a hotel and I have been informed that the shower is “fantastic”. Or, is it the 14 hour drive and car cramp that made it so wonderful. There is also a pool with hot tub and gym that I will check out in a few minutes. And, a hot and cold breakfast in the morning. I’ll have to get back to you.

I imagine that you are still wondering what the supposed scam is all about  what the problem is, right? So, here it is and I may have written about it before however, the attitude of the gal downstairs has opened old wounds.

I was in Cincinnati one night and really felt quite ill. Not bad enough to go to the doctor, just one of those times when you really need to lay down and sleep. The problem is that I hardly had any funds until the next week. So, I thought if I could get a cheap enough room on Priceline, then I would do it. After all, I wasn’t going to trash the room and simply needed a place to lay down for a very short night. It worked! Or so I thought. I got a room “on airport property” for only $38! I was so excited. Until approximately 30 seconds later. What I didn’t count on were the taxes and “fees” charged by the site. The deal is that Priceline charges the customer the difference of what they are “recouping” from how much they have supposedly paid the hotel. It kind of reminds me of eBay, where a person “only” charges $1 for an item but turns around and claims $142.00 to ship it! By the time they were done having there way with me, the cost of the room was over $60! And, to add insult to injury, it was the one “airport” hotel that doesn’t offer a shuttle! I had to pay another $28 just to get to the hotel and back. I should have just slept on the floor because it cost me over $80 for that $38 hotel room. Sigh.

I used to use the company because I had no money. Today I used it because I didn’t want to have to pick a hotel in an area that I knew nothing about and thought it sounded great to put in an amount and have the computer pick it for me.

Lesson of the story: If you don’t care where you stay, if you have one or two beds, if you really wanted the other hotel with the fab breakfast but you “saved” $5 by using the bidding option and you have a car when the airport hotel has no airport shuttle, then by all means go for it. Gamble away your right to choose! Just use due caution, because it may cause you much more in the end.

Good night as I prepare to be stuck in the middle and kicked all night long by a fidgety kid….sigh.

  Ignore the tub in the room. I lucked out and got mine in the actual bathroom!

What do you think it means to be in the “ghetto”? I believe that it’s all a matter of perspective. The person who told me that my hotel was in the ghetto is a young female in her 20′s who grew up in a nice area and today lives in an area of Boston that is so charming, I want to move there! So, are you interested in where this hotel is?

A suburb of Boston, Chelsea is located approximately 4 miles from the Boston Logan Airport and is accessible by the hotel’s shuttle. The drive to the hotel actually depends on the shuttle driver and it appears that no two visits are the same.

The route that stands out in my mind is the one that takes us past run down buildings, storefronts of pawn shops and Latin mom and pop bakers. Sheets hanging in the windows and homeless on the corner. One such unfortunate soul actually hung around the hotels front entrance until politely being asked to leave.

The area around the hotel is not exactly fine dining and high end shopping but down to Earth, everyday residents. An auto repair shop stands next to a florist across the street and on Italian restaurant across from them. A short walk straight out the front door and across the train tracks leads to a grocery store that seems to never see a dull moment. Take a few minutes inside and you’ll see why, it’s incredible. Stores like TGMAXX and a pub grace the plaza as well. I haven’t had the time yet to venture out to the local area although one day I might. I’m guaranteed that if there’s any Latin fare that I desire, I will find it in Chelsea although some, OK most, say it’s not recommended to go alone at night.

Personally, when I have a Boston overnight, I am excited at the thought of getting to go to the grocery store and get real food for less. The prepared food section alone is amazing and one time I even got steamed a pre-cracked lobster for $4 a pound! Unique foods that i don’t get at home are a plus too.

So, I have to wonder if the ones who think it’s the ghetto are the ones that grew up more privileged or do they not know that I spent more than a decade living in my own downtown “ghetto”. Is it the best area? Oh, no! But, it’s a down to Earth and the hotel itself and the people that work there are really nice. Oh, except for the pool and gym….

]]> http://willflyforfoodblog.com/a-whydham-in-the-ghetto/feed/ 0 http://willflyforfoodblog.com/does-a-hotel-really-care-gluten-free-for-2012/ http://willflyforfoodblog.com/does-a-hotel-really-care-gluten-free-for-2012/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:05:22 +0000 NearlyBionic http://willflyforfoodblog.com/?p=437 I wasn’t really sure which site to post this one on, travel or medical. A lot of us already know how great it is to choose a gluten free lifestyle even if you are not allergic to gluten, however, why would a hotel care enough to offer such choices? For many Americans today either a sensitivity to gluten or a diagnosis of Celiac disease, which is a total inability to digest  even the smallest amounts of gluten, is a reality.

The hotel industry caters to millions of people around the world each day and part of this is the form of a hotel restaurant. I happen to practically live in hotels and am sad to say that without a car I am often stuck eating whatever is offered there at the hotel. Whether it’s for a healthier lifestyle or for true necessity, hotel owners are starting to listen and those who do will be better off for it. Especially since a lot of the time simple changes and/or additions are all it takes.

I make my own gluten free crust at home by substituting gluten free flour blends. So those hotels with their own pastry chefs can simply make the same deserts by starting with the altered crust. It is so easy that it wouldn’t take any extra time at all. Basically, I find that except for perhaps a fillo dough, baking gluten free is really easy. As far as main courses, substituting regular flour for something like tapioca starch  makes all the difference. If a property doesn’t have it’s own chef on staff, there are still ways to offer gluten free products to their guests.

Hotels are starting to offer these healthier choices in venues like the in room mini-bar at the Palomar Hotel in San Francisco and gluten free breakfast options at Omni Hotels & Resorts after they found that 10% of surveyed guests want these items. Nielsen, a consumer tracking company discovered that $8.4 million in sales of gluten free items were bought last year and I am pretty sure as word spreads and cost come down, this number will only grow.

Unfortunately, there are still the occasional wait staff or cook that do not completely understand and will bring a “gluten-free” item that is covered in a sauce thickened with a wheat based flour. With that in mind, I hope that hotels will continue to look into the idea of gluten free and train the staff appropriately. For now, I think that we’re on a good track. 

Disclaimer: Let me tell you from the start that last week I had a very bad experience with a young group here at the hotel and the events that transpired. I called to speak with the manager on duty to explain the situation and how it should have been handled. My area of knowledge is a former position in the hotel industry so I felt that I had something to offer. The manager was very gracious in his conversation with me and seemed dedicated to making up for the mistakes even though he wasn’t even there at the time. My room was upgraded and my breakfast comped. With that being said, I am still not one to show automatic favor unless it is appropriately deserved.

The Crystal City DoubleTree hotel, located at 300 Army-Navy Drive in Arlington Virginia, is actually just a short drive from the Reagan National Airport, serving Washington, D.C.. Within walking distance, plan on spending a day on foot or bicycle, enjoying natural parks, restaurants and entertainment in an up and coming business area. Specialty shops and larger stores alike share ground with trendy cafes and gourmet restaurants.

The hotel itself is separated by a north and south tower. Until the new lobby is completed later this month, all guests will check-in as you enter the doors of the hotel versus taking the escalator up to usual lobby level. From there, if you are staying in the South Tower, continue straight up to your respective floor. If you are in the North Tower, take the elevator to the “L” level and exit to your right past the restaurant to another set of elevators leading up to guest rooms, a roof top restaurant (SkyDome) and the pool with views overlooking the D.C. monuments.

The elevator doors opened to a clean and nature inspired decor that carried itself into a beautifully renovated suite. As my eyes darted around the room taking everything, I immediately notices a large flat panel television set on top a marble counter leading to a wet bar. Upgraded mini-fridge, includes a real freezer and a microwave is hidden just behind a door on the elegant cabinetry. An L-shaped couch opens up to a fully made sleeper sofa ready for guests. If you are strong enough to actually move the furniture needed to pull out the bed, you will be pleasantly surprised by the actual comfort of the folded mattress. Honestly, I didn’t have any good expectations as I didn’t think it was possible to include comfortable and sleeper sofa in the same sentence. Kudos to the hotel for such a find. Perhaps some less cumbersome furniture in the way or a turn down service would be appropriate though.

The bathroom is spa like integrating patterns and textures for a pleasant atmosphere. Who ever designed the space managed to pull of a brightly lit area that was also complimenting at the same time. Any woman who has tried to put on her make-up in inferior lighting will greatly appreciate this. Tiled floors and walls with metal accent, even if the shower handle is actually plastic, which is quite brilliant if the idea was for rust proof versus a cheaper version? All in all, I felt like a movie star preparing for work this morning.

Plenty of seating passes two closets and leads to dark wood and clouded glass sliding doors, which open up to the main sleeping area. Creamy neutrals blend perfectly into a serene area for sleeping on a DoubleTree Sweet Dreams king size bed. Watch a show on the large flat panel television but don’t plan on working at the desk because that’s back in the other room. This space is for relaxing only! For those guests who like to hang out in the buff, do beware because I could see everything going on in the building across from my suite meaning that they may be able to see you too. And for that working, the internet is not the hotels but various local wifi signals obtainable from the bed. For a more secure connection, I suggest sitting at the desk, unless you want free unsecured access.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Washington DC-Crystal City