Thanks to all -- the last aviation theme suite is finally DONE

VOR-DME wrote:
Worst I've seen I think is the airport in Amsterdam. Flew through there last
week, and they were charging EUR3.00 ($4.00) for fifteen minutes!

Hotels in Europe are finally catching on that their clients will stay in the
dive next door without the fancy bar lounge but that offers free access. I know
several hotels offering free access within the past year, where previously it
as about EUR25 per 24-hour period.

People are smarter than hotel owners think (OK Jay, I'll make that *some* hotel
owners). I don't think I've picked up a hotel telephone receiver in the past
ten years. . .



In article , says...

Jay Honeck schrieb:
And it just aggravates the hell out of me when we travel, to find how many
hotels STILL don't offer free wireless.
so true; it'd cost them next to nothing to at least offer free access in
the lobby. Fom my own experience I know that it is most of the time very
costly to wire or "to wifi" larger areas.

It's gotten to the point where
that's a deciding factor in where we stay.
same here.

(We stayed at an Embassy Suites
in Austin, Texas a few weeks ago, and they had the gall to charge $14.95 per
night PER CONNECTION. We won't be making *that* mistake again...)
sometimes I think they want to sell internet access and don't want to
rent out rooms.

Free WiFi was a good choice -- thanks to you.
#m

Speaking of free internet service. Last year I stayed in a very nice
beach side hotel near St. Pete, FL. They charged you a fee for wi-fi in
your room. But, it was free in the lobby and bar area. So I take my
laptop, go get a table in the bar area, enjoy a snack, and use my
computer for free. Go figure.

Jay, Nice to see that you are coming back to the usenet some more. Hope
more come back. One of the things I wanted to do was fly to your hotel.
I guess I will have to drive now. We were close last September on our
way to Minn. while driving I-35 though Iowa, but just didn't have the time.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

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"

Jay, Nice to see that you are coming back to the usenet some more.

So long as the trolls stay dormant, I'll be around.

One of the things I wanted to do was fly to your hotel. I guess I will have
to drive now. We were close last September on our way to Minn. while
driving I-35 though Iowa, but just didn't have the time.

Nasty time to be selling an airplane. Boy, there are a lot of good deals
out there right now -- but no one seems to be snatching them up.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck schrieb:
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.

well, many of us here may bring up similar arguments, exchanged to their
business (same here with our internet products).

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

well, when passing a citx and you only need a place for a shower and a
clean bed then the least risk is to go somewhere where you roughly know
what you get. This is true for McDonalds as for the chain-motels.

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.

I think many people will drive by your place because they don't know
what they get. One single point is a good homepage and a CI. Look at the
websites of the chains and look at your website. Your website lacks
professionalism.

#m

Worst I've seen I think is the airport in Amsterdam. Flew through there last
week, and they were charging EUR3.00 ($4.00) for fifteen minutes!

Hotels in Europe are finally catching on that their clients will stay in the
dive next door without the fancy bar lounge but that offers free access. I know
several hotels offering free access within the past year, where previously it
as about EUR25 per 24-hour period.

People are smarter than hotel owners think (OK Jay, I'll make that *some* hotel
owners). I don't think I've picked up a hotel telephone receiver in the past
ten years. . .



In article , says...


Jay Honeck schrieb:
And it just aggravates the hell out of me when we travel, to find how many
hotels STILL don't offer free wireless.

so true; it'd cost them next to nothing to at least offer free access in
the lobby. Fom my own experience I know that it is most of the time very
costly to wire or "to wifi" larger areas.

It's gotten to the point where
that's a deciding factor in where we stay.

same here.

(We stayed at an Embassy Suites
in Austin, Texas a few weeks ago, and they had the gall to charge $14.95 per
night PER CONNECTION. We won't be making *that* mistake again...)

sometimes I think they want to sell internet access and don't want to
rent out rooms.

Free WiFi was a good choice -- thanks to you.

#m

In article ,
Martin Hotze wrote:

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

well, when passing a citx and you only need a place for a shower and a
clean bed then the least risk is to go somewhere where you roughly know
what you get. This is true for McDonalds as for the chain-motels.

Yep, never underestimate the amount of comfort people derive from
familiar blandness.

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.

I think many people will drive by your place because they don't know
what they get. One single point is a good homepage and a CI. Look at the
websites of the chains and look at your website. Your website lacks
professionalism.

Definitely. No offense, Jay, but your hotel's web site looks like a
refugee from 1995. I won't pretend to tell you your own business, and I
could well be wrong, but I'd wager that an upgrade to a more modern look
from a good web designer would pay for itself in rapid fashion.

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon

Mike Ash schrieb:
Definitely. No offense, Jay, but your hotel's web site looks like a
refugee from 1995. I won't pretend to tell you your own business, and I
could well be wrong, but I'd wager that an upgrade to a more modern look
from a good web designer would pay for itself in rapid fashion.

Please extend this to a full redesign of your CI: business cards, logo,
layout of invoices, flyers, ad on van, etc.

#m

You need to get yourself higher up on searches like hotels.com

For Iowa City, you're on page 2, following a disclaimer.

"Hotels.com welcomerewardsT credit and Price Match Guarantee are not
available for the hotels listed below.

33 Compare Selected Properties Now
Alexis Park Inn And Suites - Hotels.com thumbnail
Alexis Park Inn And Suites Not Yet Rated
Iowa City

Guest Rating
4.5

6 Reviews
from $67.95 Select"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Jay, Nice to see that you are coming back to the usenet some more.

So long as the trolls stay dormant, I'll be around.

One of the things I wanted to do was fly to your hotel. I guess I will
have to drive now. We were close last September on our way to Minn.
while driving I-35 though Iowa, but just didn't have the time.

Nasty time to be selling an airplane. Boy, there are a lot of good
deals out there right now -- but no one seems to be snatching them up.

Well I got what I wanted and sold it to a friend that knew exactly how
it was maintained. I had an official appraisal from a few years ago and
factored in the appreciation, but also considered the current market
conditions. We were both happy. He got a plane with a fresh annual and a
full AD compliance checklist. You have seen pictures of the plane. It is
a nice day here and I would like to go fly

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

"Hotels.com welcomerewardsT credit and Price Match Guarantee are not
available for the hotels listed below.

That brings up another "guest IQ test" -- the on-line hotel listings.

Everyone sees and believes those "Hotels.com" commercials (you know the
ones -- where the guys in white suits go into a hotel with tape measures,
making sure everything is perfect) -- and I'm here to tell you that it's ALL
bull****. Hotels.com is nothing but a sham.

I can get a higher listing -- and "rating" -- for my hotel on Hotels.com
simply by paying them a higher percentage commission. It's ALL a lie.

The ONLY real, honest-to-goodness legitimate hotel rating system is the AAA
motor club. They really do send inspectors to the hotel, and they really
do make hotels shape up or get out.

Not that they're not expensive. I pay $1250 to be AAA rated -- but they
won't rate you (or take your money) if the hotel isn't up to snuff. When
you're shopping for a hotel, look for the AAA rating -- it's really the only
trustworthy rating.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"