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John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints |
All the motel chains issue free directories and have central reservation facilities, mostly on 1-800, 1-877 or 1-888 toll-free phone numbers available throughout the USA and often also in Canada.
Motel directories almost always present the details of their individual motels in this order: firstly by country (if the chain also operates in Canada and other countries), then by state or province within the USA or Canada and finally by town or city within each state or province in alphabetical order.
The rates quoted in motel chain directories exclude sales tax.
Dates for which different rates are applicable are quoted in motel directories in US date format, i.e. mm/dd/yy.
Most of the motel chains' central reservation systems allow you to make either an unconfirmed reservation or a confirmed reservation:
In June it is wise to use the central reservation system run by each motel chain to keep booked up a few days ahead, bearing in mind that you can always cancel before the cut-off time without charge if necessary. Finding accommodation at popular destinations and on Friday and Saturday nights everywhere can be difficult, especially towards the end of June. We would imagine that during July and August the accommodation situation is more difficult, whereas earlier or later in the season it would generally be easier, except during holiday periods such as Christmas and Easter.
Most rooms in chain motels have one double bed, two single beds or two double beds. Independent motels can vary, but most offer the same options, perhaps with some additional options such as beds in separate rooms connected by an internal door. Some independent motels also offer "efficiencies" - kitchen facilities.
Many chain motels have connecting doors between pairs of adjacent rooms, for the benefit of families and other parties occupying two rooms. These doors can always be locked from either of the two rooms that they connect. Sometimes there are two doors, one from each side; both need to be opened in order to get from one room to the other.
The additional charge for each additional adult staying in the same room (usually up to four persons in total) is usually fairly low, of the order of $4-$10 or so per person. Most chains do not charge for children staying in the same room with a parent, although the age limit above which a charge is incurred may be as young as twelve.
Many motels offer free coffee in the morning, usually available from the office or lobby area. Some motels offer free continental breakfast. Almost all motels have machines which dispense ice cubes - usually there is no charge. Almost all motels have vending machines which dispense soft drink cans, but these can be purchased much less expensively at supermarkets. Most chain motels and some independent motels also have vending machines which dispense sweets and snacks - again, supermarkets are much less expensive sources for these items.
Budget motels and small privately run motels ("mom and pop" establishments) tend not to usually have a restaurant on site. Distances to restaurants vary considerably, from right next door to a drive of several miles. Although it might strike you as somewhat peculiar to drive somewhere for breakfast you soon get used to the idea and we often check out and then drive a hundred miles or more before stopping to eat.
The larger the town, the less friendly the service can sometimes be in motels, as well as generally in restaurants, etc. The same applies in some tourist towns, especially skiing resort towns, where both jobs and customers are readily available. We have found a small number of motels near large cities, catering mainly for business travellers, to be considerably less than friendly. No such problems are encountered in the majority of medium sized towns in the USA and Canada, however.
The budget motel chains are less commonly found in New England and Canada than in America.
Nearly all motel rooms are designated as smoking or non-smoking and you will be asked which you prefer when you reserve a room or when you check in. Offenders who smoke in a non-smoking room are likely to incur the very considerable cost of the room being cleaned.
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Most recently modified 17-May-01