Earlier this year, I visited
Phoenix to go to the International Travel Goods Show. I had to search for a bit
to find a good deal on a hotel that wasn’t too far away, but found that most
hotels near the convention center were out of my price range. Luckily, I knew
that Tempe wasn’t that far from my daily destination and had lower rates than I
was finding nearby. Since I planned to rent a car anyway, staying a bit out of
downtown was a perfect option for me.
Considering there were a lot of
events happening in and around Phoenix the days I was going to be there, I was
lucky to find a deal at all, but I did. If I booked out earlier, I would have
had a few more options, though I was quite happy with my choice.
Suite – If you have kids or are traveling with one or more others,
a suite can be a sanity-saver. Do you want to go to bed at 8 and wake up with
the sun? Probably not, but if you share a traditional room with your kids,
likely that is what you will end up doing. I like a suite, just because it
gives us a few different spaces to hang out in. If Eric wants to go to bed
before me, then he can and I can do my own thing. And if I’m just sick of being
with other people, I can go hang out and read or check email in my own little
space. It's also cheaper than two rooms.
Freebies – Anything you would need/use during your stay that you
don’t have to pay for is always a plus. Some of the things I look for are:
- Breakfast – I’m not a huge breakfast person, but I’m happy with a bagel and some fruit in the morning. If I don’t have to go out and buy them, then that saves me a trip to the store and money I can use to do something. It’s also nice when a place serves hot breakfast, because you know there’s more to choose from, plus you probably eat better than you would otherwise.
- Internet – As a blogger, I pretty much need internet when I travel. Of course, now it’s great to be able to get online and check your emails or watch shows or play games, so not having to pay extra or wait for the shared computer to be available is a big plus.
- Parking – Some places you go, you’ll find charge for parking everywhere. When you have to pay at a hotel, it’s often $15+ per night you stay there. That’s totally money you could spend on dining or souvenirs.
- Kitchenette or microwave & fridge – This is another way to save money. I like to have cold drinks and a variety of snacks on hand when I travel. Inevitably, I’ll want something right before bed. It’s nice to not have to run down the hall to the ice machine or use the microwave in the lobby.
- Gym/swimming pool – Eric finds having a swimming pool a plus. I also know a lot of travelers use a gym if they have one available, especially business travelers who need the exercise when they spend much of their time on a plane or in meetings.
On-site laundry – Laundry is a must for us when
we vacation for longer than 3 days. It’s really inconvenient to go out to a Laundromat
and, even though I am not opposed to hand washing in the sink, it’s a lot
easier to do it in a machine for a few quarters.
Proximity to things you want to do – As much as I’m willing to
commute, sometimes it just makes more sense to pay a little extra to stay near
things you have planned, or to be in the middle of everything downtown.
Tempe budget hotels have all
these conveniences and more, making it easy to choose a place to stay in your
price range. With so many awesome things to do in the city, you’ll definitely
want to spend more money doing them than staying there. Soon, you’ll be able to
read about all the fun things to do in Tempe, along with the best places to
stay in the city based on your budget and travel style, on the Hipmunk travel
site, where I am now a contributor. You can also find great a hotel in Tempe – as well as my city guide – and others
on Hipmunk.
Disclaimer: This post was inspired by my partnership with Hipmunk - a great site to find low hotel rates wherever you travel. #hipmunkcitylove
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