People are smarter than hotel owners think (OK Jay, I'll make that *some*
hotel
owners).

I wish that were the case (and, with pilots, it's usually true) -- but the
average traveler still selects their hotel based on what they saw advertised
during yesterday's episode of "Oprah".

It is EXTREMELY hard to defeat the marketing prowess of the chain motels.
I will beat them in every measurable way -- staff, bed size, suite size and
decor, amenities, breakfast, price, location -- and they STILL consistently
outsell us by a wide margin.

Why? Name recognition. If you hear "Holiday Inn" on TV and radio often
enough, that's what pops into your head when you're searching for a place to
stay. That's why they charge more and send 30% of gross back to a home
office in New York -- so they can buy lots and lots of advertising. It's a
terrific business model that works -- for the owners.

Our guests tend to be the more adventuresome (and, IMHO, intelligent)
travelers who go the extra mile to find a hidden gem.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"