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Bob
I noticed on tripadvisor that the Hyatt was not a great place to stay, though well-located..
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http://www.stoneycreekinnrestaurant.com/
Great, now I'm craving blue crabs.
I rarely stay at hotels, but had lodged several nights in various hotels during our drive from Alaska. These were various mom-&-pop and budget locations (Best Western, Motel 8, etc). But, all of them were at least comparable to the room I had at the Hyatt and, in many ways, were better.
So, here is what I did not like, followed by what I did.
Gripes:
1. Lack of toilet paper in my bathroom upon arrival - glad I noticed that in advance!
2. Horrible sound insulation - I could readily hear basic conversation in rooms next to mine as well as in the hall. I could also hear people walking around in the room above mine and water use (showers, toilets, sinks) sounded as though it was coming from my own bathroom.
3. Stains on my bed's comforter. Conveniently, the item was folded in such a manner as to not be apparent upon arrival, but unfolding it revealed a myriad of stains; I do not even want to guess the source of them.
4. There was a safe in my room, with multiple notifications stating that should use it, yet the instructions provided did not work and the safe simply read "ERR." Great.
5. Cheap ironing board in poor condition. Heck, the hand-me-down at my own house is in far better shape than this one.
6. Hotel phone directory was well-doodled. Not a big deal, but when one is paying $250 a night (this was a discounted rate - standard rate is apparently about $100 more), I expect more....
7. NO INTERNET ACCESS! Well, unless I wanted to pay $10 per day. Come on. $10/day? Every single hotel at which I stayed with my family had internet access, and the rooms cost about $90-100. Pathetic.
8. Annoying commercialization in the room. There were all sorts of amenities, but you had to pay for most all of it. There were bottles of water sitting on my desk... for $5 each I could drink them. There was a refrigerator... but it was stocked to the brim with soda and alcohol for sale for... you guessed it.... $5 each. And, for my convenience, any items removed were automatically charged to my account as soon as they were removed. So, in other words, there was no refrigerator in the room. It was so bad that I did a double-take any time I used anything in the room! Soap? Check.... no, it looks like I can use this without being charged. Ask the housekeeper for toilet paper, "Will I be charged extra for this?"
9. I prefer to take the stairs, and the stairs in this place were downright "ghetto."
10. Well, you get the picture. There was much to be desired.
Likes:
1. The exercise room was fantastic. They had diverse and high-quality machines, as well as free weights, exercise balls, etc. It was very well-done. Regrettably, I did not use it much as I had not thought to bring appropriate clothes for this sort of activity.
2. Very friendly and accommodating staff. In this regard, they were better than any other place I have ever stayed. The concierge was exceptional.
3. Convenient location and the ambiance of the common areas in the hotel was first-rate.
4. The elevators were very cool, but then my elevator experience is rather limited, so just being able to ride a glass elevator on the exterior of a building was quite a thrill.
So, that said, I strongly recommend considering other options, especially if you are spending your own money on the stay!
I was very happy to get home last night, but it sure is quiet and lonely around my place without the family there! Temperatures here are unbelievably warm for this time of year. Apparently it hit 76F yesterday, which was not only a record temperature for the day, but also the warmest temperature ever recorded in Fairbanks for the month of April. It is supposed to be in the mid-70s again today.
We got our first laptop in the family, last summer, and took it with us to Nashville last month.... Figured it would come in handy.. We stayed at an Embassy Suites, which was nice (and the rate was only $109). Free breakfast to order and free drinks from 5:00-7:00pm each evening.. nice!
But, internet access was $10/day... Took a pass on that..
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Hahahha; okay, so I went a little overboard with that post.
Total miles traveled: 4,556
Total travel days: 9 (a casual 500 miles per day, on average)
Total fuel used: 210 gallons
Total price paid for fuel: $551
Average PPG: $2.63/gal
Average Fuel Economy: 21.7 mpg (best tank was 24.4 mpg, worst was 19.76 - through South Dakota at 79 mph bucking head/cross winds of about 25-30 mph most of the time)
To break down the stats a little more, here is what I found we paid for fuel in the lower 48, Alaska, and Canada.
Lower 48: $2.10 (highest was $2.35 in Opheim, MT, at the cardlock station, and the lowest was $1.92 in Defiance, OH)
Alaska: $2.71 (not much to average here, as we filled up at the start and then at border city lodge, but highest was 2.96/gal at border city and lowest was 2.46/gal at Fairbanks)
Canada: $3.15 (highest, by FAR, was $3.84/gal at the Nugget City Lodge, near the junction of Cassiar and Alaska Highways, and the lowest was $2.57 in Edmonton, Alberta)
Of course, the numbers I provided for Canada are time-specific, because those are the prices I paid, which means they are subject to both the exchange rate and exchange fees applicable at the time of purchase. For reference, the high price listed was advertised at $1.199/liter at the pump, while the low price was listed at $0.804/liter. On the Alaska Highway itself, the price per liter was between $0.97 and $1.099 aside from the price at Nugget City Lodge. It will be interesting to see how the prices jump when we travel back up in June.
Border City Lodge, 90 miles east of Tok, claims to have lower prices than Tok. However, their price was a full twenty cents per gallon higher than Tok on 4/15/09 when we passed through both sites.
I have traveled very extensively for work and find the problems with hotels are all too common.The best style of accommodation (and food and beverages) varies by country. It is a long time sice I have been to the USA but I don't think big city chains are the best of US travel. However not very expensive highway chains and small boutique hotels are pretty special. I also found that city restaurant dining is not the USA's strong point but fast food (especially burgers and ribs) and beer (admittedly weaker than usual, but very pleasant) are the real plusses when travelling.
Over the years, I reckon I have scored all of the more obvious shortages. Soap, toilet paper, towels, clean cups, tea bags coffee etc. The experience of no soap, no toilet paper etc make me travel with a very small emergency supply including a tiny tube of shampoo (perfectly adequate emergency hand wash and detergent for cleaning the grubby cups in a hotel), some tea bags, ear plugs, and usually some toilet paper. If things look dodgy, I also pack a sports towel.
However the weirdest shortage of all was a hotel in Paris, when travelling with my wife. When we left top go sightseeing in the morning, it was all perfectly normal. However, when we returned in the afternoon, the room, otherwise untouched, was devoid of shower (taps, shower screen, walls, base etc.). We rang down to reception where my very poor French was not helping. Eventually, I dragged the receptionist upstairs as she did not beleive me. When she peered into the bathroom, I learnt how to swear in pure Parisian. Still have no idea what most of the words mean, the only one really connecting was merde.
We moved rooms,
Graham
TMV for the Miata is $2836 and for the Outback, $3602. Both seem to go for higher numbers around here. We're about $600 apart maybe, maybe $400.
My gut is telling me it's time to swap. :shades:
What say ye?
(oh yeah, I had another #$% flat on the Outback - found a screw in the RF. Fixable, but it's like a sign, right?
The Miata's a fun car for sure. Won't help you get to the ski slopes though.
Bob
That's why I taught my neighbor how to ride last winter. He's got an AWD Aerostar with studded tires.
Miatas are fun but once you pack in your cat and a cantaloupe, that's it for the Miata. I too have explored these cars and they are mighty tiny for carrying anything.
I'd never own one without having another vehicle at the ready, in other words. And yes, they totally suck in the snow.
If nothing else, I can sell it in a year and start applying for membership in Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous.
We do know of one couple with two Miatas and their spare vehicle is a bicycle.
You can always sell a good running Subaru Outback for a decent price and you can always buy a used Miata for cheap. So this is the kind of swap you can do anytime now or in the future.
and you can always buy a used Miata for cheap
Not around here - I've been tire-kicking them for ~3 years now and people ask crazy money for them, often double TMV or more for the older ones. If this one doesn't work out, I'll have to send you a finder's fee and fly out and pick up a nice Cali one. :shades:
I am seriously considering taking a few extra days on this trip and passing through Oregon and Washington to briefly visit friends and family on our way back up to AK, so we might be crossing your neck of the woods anyway....
You're welcome to borrow the OB when you pass through if I still have it.
(I'll have to think about loaning out the Miata
It is tough finding a decent Subaru up here and, when I do, they always seem to be in Anchorage. Demand is high enough that nobody has thus far been willing to hold one for me long enough to give me time to drive down. So, I keep looking and I don't mind being a little creative about it.
I blame it on juice. It's all his fault, for opening our eyes to the glory of this small sports car.
I have to admit though, if ever there was a car to lure me away from "The Beauty of All-Wheel-Drive," it would be the Miata.
Bob
Wes, didn't think about that aspect. But if I was going to just buy one and then put the Subie on the market, I'd hold out for a tan top. And if you broke down at Liard, I'd never hear the end of it, lol.
You know the parking lot trick, right? Go hang out at Fred Meyers near a likely looking Subie. When the owner comes out, strike up a friendly conversation about their car and tell them you are thinking of buying one. If they love it, then you know it's not a lemon and you can tell them that if they are thinking of getting a new one, you'd be interested in buying their old one. Give them a phone number and sit back and hope the bug you put in their ear makes them go shopping.
I used to live near Pendleton, OR, and I agree - all but a few days a year, a vehicle like the Miata would be an excellent choice due to plenty of winding roads and very little weather that would render such vehicles unusable. Even on cold days, the roads were usually dry as a bone.
As for the parking lot trick, I think about doing this all the time. In fact, there is a '99 Limited here at UAF, parked in the same lot as my car every day, that only has about 110,000 miles on it and is a gorgeous burgundy over gold. It is in very good shape, with only the usual bumper scuffs, door dings, and windshield chips. The interior is nearly perfect. At least weekly, I think, "I should write a note to that owner...," but I never do.
As for Liard... that would be just my luck. But, I am a handy bugger; that's why my wife keeps me around (really - I am not disillusioned about this aspect of our relationship!). Cars break down from time to time, that is the nature of a machine. In sharing such an event, the intention would be to bask in the glory of conquering the problem. :shades:
In all seriousness, a friend of mine sold me an Escort last summer. He expressed similar concern about that car (i.e., was a little afraid of selling it to someone he knew). I thought it an odd concern at the time. My thinking is this:
First, he discloses what he knows is wrong with it.
Second, I choose to buy it.
The result? Once it is my car, it is also my problem!
However, he told me about a couple of horror stories where friends were no longer friends after such transactions took place. :sick:
However I'd suggest visiting a motorcycle dealer, or better still a snowmobile dealer, and get one of those plug-in electric coveralls that will keep you warm and toasty in those sub-zero (but sunny!) January days with the top down.
Bob
Bob, I was thinking about a heated seat aftermarket kit.
Where is Juice anyway - out driving his new Miata?
Bob
I definitely had second thoughts about doing it... but, 3.5 years later, all is still good, and they love the car..
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Cheers!
Paul
That about sums it up.
I have a minivan - makes a Miata the perfect "other" car.
And yes they suck in the snow. RWD, light, plenty of power, summer tires.
The Torsen limited-slip diff is completely useless on ice (it acts like an open diff, unlike Subaru's Viscous LSD, or traction control).
I say KEEP the Outback and buy the Miata as your summer car.
The Miata is a great 2nd vehicle, but a terrible primary vehicle.
I sold mine to someone here at work, and it's funny - as soon as I did 2 others expressed interest. Didn't want to start a bidding war...besides my brother later told me he would have wanted it.
Put it this way - if you keep it clean, it's VERY easy to sell a Miata.
Also, mine passed DC inspection on the first try. It was a 1993 and has not been to a dealership once for service or repair since I had purchased it 9 years prior.
The new one is great - flawless so far. The hard top takes 11 seconds to retract, sounds fast but the old one was more like 3-5 seconds!
We saw it at the NY Auto Show, still tons of personality. Neat little car.
Also take a peek at the Kia Soul, that looked fun.
Don't overlook at Outback Sport, though, for similar money you're getting more bang-for-the-buck. It's not a box on wheels, though.
The Nuvi 260w I bought refurbished worked flawlessly for short trip over a few days, and on the first long trip I took - it would freeze up every 30 minute or so.
Sent it back.
So I'm shopping again, but I think I'll just get a brand new one this time.
There was one other problem I only saw later - Garmin will give you map updates for the first 60 days, but only if it's new.
So the $50 savings actually is erased, since new maps cost $55-75 or so.
On the prowl for a new 205w/250w/260w or maybe even one with traffic, 260wt. Let me know if you see any deals.
So far my best prices are $176 for a 265W and $226 for a 265WT (traffic).
For years we got by fine sharing one car. Going to one and a half cars per person around here grates on my green sensibilities. Well, the Miata is about half a car anyway, but that still puts us at 2.5 cars in the household.
And the extra insurance, maintenance and lack of garage space bugs my frugal sensibilities. :shades:
It finally turned sunny today so maybe I'll get to check it out in the next day or so.
Hmm, Costco has a Nuvi 855 for $299 that accepts voice commands, that sounds pretty neat. Anyone try one of those?
It's either good when it works, or useless if it doesn't.
I too have finally purchased a GPS - a TomTom 330S on sale for $199. I have had a blast changing the voices and pointer. Currently, I have a canadien voice, eh and the pointer is my vintage Mustang GT. Rob
Her name is Karen - names with a "K" strikes again.
Any how, she pronounces battery as "BAT-tree" and it cracks me up every time. I prefer the soft voice over the american accent.
Tom Tom has Bugs Bunny and Mr. T, right? The novelty would wear off after a few laughs. "I knew we shoulda made that left in Albuquerque".
$150 was good, just $25 more than the refurbished one and now I can get the 2010 maps (both came with 2009). The map updates cost more than the $25 so I come out ahead, sort of.
I can't believe how prices have dropped. My first one was $404 and had a small screen and no Text-to-Speech. Now I'm paying $149 for a big screen with TTS. :shades:
They also had a 265wt model (adds Bluetooth and FM Traffic for life), plus it came with a free carrying case, for $230. I was tempted, but early reviews for the FM traffic are not that good so I passed.
That plus I'm cheap.
We won't be overlooking the Impreza by any means. It's just that since we're keeping the trusty OB, AWD is taking a back seat to MPG on Q's priority list. The main function of the vehicle will be to transport her, our daughter, a cello and their school stuff to and from school most days, and also for Q to commute to regional gigs as needed (Lancaster PA, OC, Annapolis).
So on her list right now are Clubman, Cube, Soul, Fit, Impreza. Just doesn't like Scion, so that's off. We drove a clubbie and it was great. I mean, really really great. Just the base model, NA, 15" rims, but what a hoot, so willing to play and tons of personality. I've driven a new OBS, and it too is quite good. Not as tossable, but roomier obviously.
Now though it looks like my job is in jeopardy, so price has become more of an issue, which hurts the MINI. Dealers (and this goes for KIA too) have all the sudden jacked the stickers to stupid heights. We'll wait for Cube to arrive, and save up more of a down payment, and then load up with all the stuff that the car will need to carry every day and go have a test-drive orgy.
Bob
So, after spending about $50 an a Carfax and the testing fee, I had a fun rental for a day I guess, but wound up swapping keys back midday yesterday. The guy had washed the Outback and figured out which dip switch turned off my flaky alarm system, so that was nice of him. I filled up the Miata on the way back to his place.
His '97 was a lot rougher than mine. Lots of dings and scratches and worn carpet and interior bits. But it sure was fun to tool around in.
Try to find one that was cared for like your Outback was.
The Miata probably just needed spark plug wires, they eat those every 30,000 miles like clockwork.
And if the Miata doesn't eat them, the rodents will! :P
Cheers!
Paul
Well, yeah, but I'm going on 3 or 4 years of looking. Pretty casual looking I admit.
Let me know if you see a BRG one with tan top & interior, cruise and heated seats (love the top down but I'm cold natured and I was freezing half the time on the overnight test).
Oh yeah, the owner had just replaced the plugs and wires in the last couple of months.
Thanks everyone for the feedback. (We'll leave the light on for you Wes).