John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints
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Hints For Using US And Canadian Motel Chain Directories
Introduction
These hints are mainly intended for visitors to the USA or Canada from other countries. Most of the advice on this page will already be obvious to people in the USA and Canada.
All the American and Canadian motel chains publish extremely useful free directories listing each of their locations. New editions of motel directories are issued at regular intervals, usually every three, six or twelve months.
Motel directories list each of the chain's locations, with directions, maps, facilities and usually rates. The maps often show nearby restaurants and major shops.
Motel directories also include details of the chain's central reservations facility and reservations policy.
How To Obtain Motel Directories
Motel directories can be obtained in several ways:
- Visit the chain's web site. Most of these web sites have a facility to request a directory to be sent to your home address. In some cases you may only receive a leaflet instead of the full directory, especially if you live outside the USA and Canada. Most of motel chain web sites also provide an online list of locations and rates and in some cases there is a reservation facility.
- Phone the chain's central reservations service. Nearly all the motel chains have a toll-free 800, 877 or 888 telephone number for central reservations but when phoning from outside the USA or Canada these numbers may be unavailable. If they can be reached from abroad, a full international phone call charge will be made and a long call (due to having a wait in a queue) may well be involved.
- Fax the chain's central reservations service. This is a good option if you live outside the USA and Canada, provided of course that you have access to a fax machine.
- Visit any of the chain's locations. It is perfectly reasonable to pop in to any chain motel's office and obtain a copy of their directory, with absolutely no obligation. In many cases directories are on show and available to pick up without you having to ask.
- Within the USA, Chambers of Commerce and other tourism related facilities sometimes have copies of motel directories available.
- Visitors from outside the USA and Canada may be able to obtain a USA and Canadian motel directory through the relevant chain's operations in their own country, if applicable.
- Visitors from outside the USA and Canada may possibly be able to obtain motel directories from good travel agents, although this is likely to be restricted to the more expensive chains.
Order Of Entries In Motel Directories
All motel directories list locations firstly by country (Canada, USA and if applicable other countries).
Within Canada locations are listed province by province in alphabetical order of province (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and so on).
Within the USA locations are listed state by state in alphabetical order of state (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona and so on).
Within each state or province locations are listed in alphabetical order of town and city.
Locations in districts within large cities are normally listed under the appropriate city's entries. These entries may also be cross referenced by the name of the district.
Locations in suburbs on the edge of large cities may be listed in their own right under the suburb's name or under the appropriate city's entries. These entries are usually cross referenced.
When looking for locations near a state or province border, it can often be useful to also check the adjacent state or province.
Maps
Motel directories usually have foldout maps of the USA and Canada at the front or back showing all their locations.
There may also be a map at the start of the section for each state or province showing all the locations in that area.
When a chain has several locations in the same city there is often a map showing these at the start of the entries for that city.
There is usually a map for each location indicating how to reach it. These maps usually use the standard highway marker shield symbols to indicate Interstates, US Highways and State Highways. These maps often also show nearby restaurants and major shops.
Understanding Directions In Motel Directories
Directions given in motel directories can sometimes be confusing for visitors from Britain. For example:
- Many motels are located on normal roads at freeway and Interstate exits. Exit numbers, which in most states are consistent with mile markers, are often indicated on maps by a small solid black wedge and the number. They are also very clearly indicated on signposts and road signs.
- The direction "from I-80 West" means "from I-80 westbound", i.e. when travelling from the east. Likewise for the other geographical directions.
- The word "on" usually means "onto". For example, "turn on 4th Street" means "turn onto 4th Street".
- The word "station" usually refers to a gas station (i.e. a petrol station), not a railway station. The name of the chain is usually quoted, for example "Motel is behind Arco station".
Date Format
Dates are specified in American format, month/day/year. For example 4/1-9/2 means from the first of April to the second of September.
Rates
Rates are always listed in the national currency of the country of the location.
Rates for locations in the USA and Canada are always quoted excluding sales tax.
Other Information In Motel Directories
Motel directories always have a few pages with other useful information at their front or the back. These pages are always worth a quick scan. In some cases they may include details of worthwhile discounts.
The entries for each location often indicate nearby restaurants and occasionally shops.
Other Sources Of Information
Most Canadian provinces and some US states publish official accommodation guides. While these can be useful, they usually only list those establishments which have paid a fee in order to be included.
The Yellow Pages for a particular town list motels, as well as restaurants, shops and other businesses.
As with all the other pages on this personal web site, all the information on this page is solely the opinion of the author, who has no connection whatsoever with any of the companies and organisations mentioned other than as an actual or potential customer.
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Most recently modified 30-Nov-03