This is topic How to save money on hotels (help) in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by quintus (Member # 10300) on :
 
Hello, o knowledgeable Jatraqueros

My girlfriend and I will be going to Southern California for spring break, and we are trying to save some money. What do you think about reserving a hotel room for one person and then having more than one staying there? I don't know how hotel staff would keep track of our comings and goings, besides the security cameras. Do such establishments actually keep an eye out for this sort of activity? This would be for three to five nights.

Side note: any comments or advice on taking Greyhound?

Thanks in advance!
 

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Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
 
I don't know much about hotels, but you might consider looking into hostels in the region...

As far as Greyhound is concerned, try to take an express night bus and sleep (with your luggage wrapped around a limb) to get the ride over with as quickly as possible. There can be a lot of weirdos on Greyhound - I always sat right behind the driver when I traveled along - but since there's two of you, it shouldn't be that big of a problem.
 

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Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
My experience from talking with people who work at hotels is that so long as you are discreet, the money involved is so minimal that it isn't worth their time to enforce. (Mind you, that's also a good reason to do it, above and beyond the not lying part.)

However, if you are drinking in public, making noise in the hallways, making noise in the room that disturbs surrounding rooms, etc., then you are likely to get called on it and might be kicked out.

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Edited to add:

Don't talk or laugh above whispers or quiet low tones in the hallways. You may think it isn't loud, but it is.
Don't prop the room door open so people can run in and out.
Don't slam the doors, either.

Gerroff my lawn!

[ March 12, 2007, 08:42 PM: Message edited by: ClaudiaTherese ]
 

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Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
Ahhhh. Now I need a cigarette.
 

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Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
 
Stay at Motel 6. Granted, they don't actually cost $6 a night for a room any more. And they don't offer things like continental breakfasts.

On the other hand, they're often cleaner and the staff more helpful than the more expensive hotels and inns I've stayed at, the beds are always comfortable, and they are less expensive than almost anywhere. And what else do you really need when you're vacationing and are rarely in the room except to sleep?

I mean, you can stay someplace more expensive to say that you've stayed there, but it seems like a waste of money to me.
 

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Posted by quintus (Member # 10300) on :
 
Thanks, all!

littlemissattitude, I checked the local Motel 6. It is actually twenty dollars a night more than the hotel I found, but I suspect that's because the place I'm looking at has shared bathrooms. So it's like a hostel.
But the plus with Motel 6 is that the additional person there is only two dollars more, as opposed to ten where I want to stay.

I am keeping my options open. Thanks for the suggestions and help!
 

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Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
 
I tried saving money on hotels.

Yeah, that was a fun .. day.

I'm such a spoiled brat. I was immediately back to Hampton Inn and their pillowtops.
 

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Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
 
I rode the Pooch to southern California (from Seattle) and back again one spring. I would never do that again, and we had a pretty uneventful trip. It's just full of really irritating people, from my experience and the anecdotes I've heard from friends and my husband. He was brave enough to ride it from New Jersey to California.

If you don't mind twenty hours of people-watching, go for it. Keep all your belongings in a bag on your lap - regular Greyhound riders are notorious for snatching goodies from sleeping passengers.

Personally, I prefer driving myself on trips like these - no crazy, ranting passengers smelling of cat pee, and you can stop whenever and wherever you choose for any reason you like. Avis has the best deals on extended car rentals. I have rented minivans from them for 7- to 9-day stretches before for about $300 (not including gas). Cars almost always rent for less than minivans. If you're looking for a road trip-type experience, the car rental might be more fun. Riding Greyhounds really gets stupid after about an hour, unless you just have that ramblin' hobo type of mentality (I don't, apparently).

As for your hotel idea - it's a bit dishonest, but if that doesn't bother you at all, then go for it. Just stay really quiet and obviously don't bring the second person into the office with you when you check in and out. Usually fees for an extra occupant aren't that much anyway.

Depending on what part of California you're visiting, you can try some off-the-beaten-path options for your hotel (especially a good thing if you have a rental car). Staying near an airport is typically pretty cheap. Staying in Buena Park is usually very cheap, especially if it's not summertime. It's quite a drive to get to other parts of L.A. from there, but it's cheap! And it's close to all the theme parks!

How long will you be staying? If you can find an extended stay-type place, they usually have the best rates for five-plus-night stays.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Where are you going in SoCal? I may have recommendations on local places to stay that are cheaper than what you're going to find online.
 

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Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
 
There's a hostel on 2nd street in Santa Monica. (That's two blocks from the ocean... really nice area.) It has a good reputation, and is close to lots of public transporation, good restaurants, and fun things to do.
 

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Posted by quintus (Member # 10300) on :
 
Thanks very much for all the help!

We will be in San Diego. Our friend just told me she'd see whether her parents would let us stay at their house, with said friend, for a couple nights of the three to five we're planning on being there.

I found a hostel/hotel fused place. It's downtown and looks to be very convenient.

Renting a car is rather out of the picture because I'm the only one of the two of us with a license. It also costs more than we're willing to spend, and I hear people under 25 (us) aren't allowed to rent cars anyway.

Thanks again! I appreciate it.
 

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Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
 
Have you considered Amtrak? It's not as cheap as Greyhound, but it's a wonderful way to travel.
 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese:
My experience from talking with people who work at hotels is that so long as you are discreet, the money involved is so minimal that it isn't worth their time to enforce. (Mind you, that's also a good reason to do it, above and beyond the not lying part.)

However, if you are drinking in public, making noise in the hallways, making noise in the room that disturbs surrounding rooms, etc., then you are likely to get called on it and might be kicked out.

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I've worked in hotels, and yeah, we didn't care if there was one or four people. If you made enough noise that other guests complained, then we cared very very much. If you make enough noise to warrant us coming to your room, the extras will be kicked out for sure. If you make enough noise to warrant us coming to your room a second or third time, and it's guaranteed I'll kick the lot of you out.

And yes, I did kick people out. On a fairly regular basis. And if you get kicked out, no, you don't get a refund. Tough. And no, threatening me doesn't help, and yes, you can tell my manager all about your side of the story, and he'll still agree with me.


As a side note, when guests complain of noise, we usually ended up either reducing the price of their room for that night, or comped it entirely depending on the amount of noise the guest had to endure. So when other guests create noise disturbances, it costs the hotel money in the form of lost revenue so the hotel can make attempts to keep the other guests as paying customers.

quote:

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Don't talk or laugh above whispers or quiet low tones in the hallways. You may think it isn't loud, but it is.
Don't prop the room door open so people can run in and out.
Don't slam the doors, either.

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Yup. And don't play music with the bass cranked up.
 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
(Welcome, quintus! )
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by quintus:
Thanks very much for all the help!

We will be in San Diego. Our friend just told me she'd see whether her parents would let us stay at their house, with said friend, for a couple nights of the three to five we're planning on being there.

I found a hostel/hotel fused place. It's downtown and looks to be very convenient.

Renting a car is rather out of the picture because I'm the only one of the two of us with a license. It also costs more than we're willing to spend, and I hear people under 25 (us) aren't allowed to rent cars anyway.

Thanks again! I appreciate it.

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quote:

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(Welcome, quintus! )

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Thanks, quidscribis!

I wasn't sure about how the dishonest stinginess would be taken so discreet me creates another login to be anonymous.

Thank you again for the help!

Yes, we have considered Amtrak. I don't like it very much, and neither of us have tried Greyhound. We're also trying to save as much money as we can.
which is part of the reason for not renting. I haven't driven the great state of California before, and I don't want to be the only driver my first time.
 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
Oh, WELL THEN! (Dang thing decides to post it before I'm even done! The nerve!) And I went to all that trouble to be oh so welcoming...
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 

quote:

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Yes, we have considered Amtrak. I don't like it very much, and neither of us have tried Greyhound.

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