Quebec City - So Europe, So Close

After using up quite a bit of my 2014 vacation time with a February trip to Europe, an April trip to Florida and my final week tied up for a December destination wedding in Punta Cana, I was excited when an opportunity arose for a little weekend getaway in Old Town Quebec City. 

I knew very little about Quebec City prior to arriving, other than that it was one of the oldest cities in Canada, the only North American ‘walled city’ north of Mexico and also the holy grail of French culture in the country.
                

Upon pulling up to our hotel (Le Manoir d’Auteuil) within the fortified walls of Old Town, we were quickly immersed in shades of our European adventure a few months earlier. Old Town Quebec is split into two historic segments, Haute-Ville (or Upper Town) and Basse-Ville (or Lower Town). The Upper town sits atop a plateau overlooking the region and the majestic St. Lawrence River, with Lower Town down below. Both parts of Old Town are quite interesting, historic and worth exploring. 
  
We began our time here with a walk down Rue St. Jean, a tourist hub with a variety of restaurants and shopping. The main part of the street was blocked off from traffic which turned it into a European style pedestrian zone which was pretty cool. When we were done wandering we set in for some good pizza eats at Mille Et Une Pizzas. The thin crust pizza was excellent and on par with one of my favorite Toronto Pizza restaurants, Pizzeria Libretto. As night was approaching and we were tired from the travel we decided to settle in for some gelato and catch a (fully bilingual!) street performance in a city square in front of the historic Notre Dame de Quebec cathedral. 

Bustling Rue St. Jean

Street Performer in the square

Saturday we were up early and first headed to the Citadelle, a military fortress just outside of the walls of Old Town. While it may have been interesting to walk around the Citadelle, we were not prepared to pay $16 per person to enter its main core. We got there just in time for the ceremonial “changing of the guard” (10am) and were able to see some of the action from the common areas outside of the paid center. 

'Changing of the Guard' underway at the Citadelle

From there we ventured to the neighboring Plains of Abraham. A formal battle site turned public parkland. We strolled across some of the many different paths weaving through the rolling hills. There isn’t all that much to see here, but a visit to the south edge of the park which overlooks the St. Lawrence is a must. 

Finding our way at the Plains of Abraham

After taking in the views we decided to head down a massive wooden staircase to Lower Town. These stairs were unlike anything I had been on before and seemed to go forever. If you are nervous about heights then I would definitely avoid them as they are quite steep and imposing. Once we (finally) reached Lower Town we were able to walk alongside the river bed with some nice views, cool old houses and plenty of other walkers, runners and cyclists. We eventually reached Rue du Petit Champlain, a narrow pedestrian zone street with plenty of souvenir and boutique shopping along with a slew of restaurants. This was a charming area, if you can get past the thick crowds. Upon reaching the end we choose to skip the pay-per-ride funicular back to Upper Town and instead took another set of lengthy, however less imposing, stairs back to the top. 

Cool looking homes along the river-front

View of Rue Petit Champlain

Our next stop back in Upper Town was the centerpiece of Quebec City architecture, the Chateau Frontenac Hotel. This towering giant of a building can be seen from all over the city and we spent some quality time walking around it’s perimeter as well as the surrounding area known as the Dufferin Terrace. We were able to enter the hotel and explore the lobby areas, but felt the views from outside were much more impressive. 

  

The beautiful Chateau Frontenac

View of the St. Lawrence River from the Dufferin Terrace

While in that area we stopped for lunch at Le Chic Shack. A trendy little quick-service spot which specializes in burgers and poutine. We were impressed with the food although felt it was a bit overpriced for a quick lunch. Afterwards we headed back to Rue St. Jean and enjoyed some sunshine on a patio with a beer. While the beer and people-watching were nice, the service was terrible so we quickly left and had a 2^nd drink on our hotel’s patio. 

Smoked meat poutine from Le Chic Shack

Ice cold Boreale on Rue St. Jean

Dinner that night was spent at La Pizzalo, the top-rated Pizza spot in the city. While the pizza was unique and service excellent, we agreed that their signature cheese overflow was a little much for our tastes and made their paper-thin crusts almost disappear. 

Our final evening saw us grabbing a drink on Rue Grand Allee, a hotspot of nightlife with several bars/restaurants in a row all with jam-packed front-facing patios and music pumping. Definitely the spot to be if you’re looking to party in Quebec City.

Mike @ Palms & Pints 
@palmsandpints

How to Plan an Effective ‘Guys Road Trip’

I have done a lot of trip-planning in my day for all sorts of adventures, but none of them more frequently than buddies road trips. There is just something about hitting the open road with anywhere from a couple to a dozen of your good friends that can almost guarantee a great time! 
  
My exquisite planning has seen us through successful automobile journeys to great cities like Pittsburgh, Columbus, Nashville, Montreal and Philadelphia. While I’m not saying that any of these trips were without their road bumps (pun intended), they all stayed on track thanks to careful research and focused execution. 
  
The challenge with being the group’s “planner” is that you are faced with the responsibility and pressure of planning something that meets or exceeds your friends’ expectations. The plus to this is that you have full control over all of the details like dates, budget & itinerary. While this role isn’t for everyone, it can be quite rewarding if you go into it prepared. Here are some of my best tips: 
  
Note – these tips are based around a 2 to 4 night, single-destination trip where travel is done by car/van. 
  

Good old open interstate

1)      Set Trip and Payment Dates
  
Everyone will say they are “interested” in a trip without a set time-frame for both the trip itself and payment. Plan ahead and pick a date that works for you, then give a reasonable deadline for your party to provide the cash. Don’t get caught waiting for stragglers and be firm with your deadline. Book hotel room(s) and car rental (if needed) for only the people who have committed with cold hard cash. If you’re a nice guy you can assist any late-comers with booking their own accommodations themselves (or in another small group). 
  
2)      Over-charge, don’t Under-charge 
  
Ensure you collect enough money from everyone to cover the full hotel, car rental (if necessary) and gas costs. When doing your math, err on the side of caution and inflate the price slightly. Keep in mind there are things like road tolls, hotel parking, in-room phone use or other small charges that may arise during the trip. By collecting a little extra at the start, you don’t have to nickel and dime your friends at every turn.   
  
3)      Know Your Group and Plan Accordingly
  
Is the bulk of your travel party big spenders who like to live large and have cash to burn? If so, by all means go all-out. But if you party is like mine and wants to cram the most fun into the tightest of budget, keep that in mind while planning. You can force them to spend a little out of their comfort zone to ensure you secure quality accommodations (see #4 below), but don’t force them to break the bank just because you want to. Secondly, if you are travelling with married guys they will likely have different tastes and expectations than those of the 'single and looking' demographic. The focus on day-time sight-seeing vs. nightlife should be weighted based on the group. 
  
4)      Get a Hotel that Works 
  
The Four Seasons is not required, but find a hotel that will suit your needs. Use TripAdvisor and find something that is a fair price but still decently reviewed. Four grown men in a tiny room doesn’t work (I’ve tried it). Try keeping it to three per room maximum. It is a known fact that hotels away from the downtown core are cheaper than those in it, however do some research and look at all of the factors. Is a $20 cab ride or time consuming public transit to the heart of the city worth saving a few bucks on hotel costs? Note: This is a guy’s trip (see: boozing), the vehicle that brought you into the city won’t be (and with some exceptions, shouldn’t be) moved until you are heading home. 
  
5)      Enjoy The Journey as much as the Destination 
  
My typical road trips are anywhere from 2 to 4 nights long. A rule of thumb I like to go by is no more than 4 hours of driving per night spent away. Any longer and the time on the road just simply won’t be worth it. Since these trips are short, it’s best to make the journey as much a part of the fun as the destination. For us this begins with ‘Duty Free’ shopping when crossing the border. Nothing gets our group more psyched for the trip than a rock bottom price for 24 cans of Coors Light or a 40oz bottle of Crown Royal. In addition to this it’s fun to keep an eye out for interesting road-side restaurants and of course have some crowd-pleasing music on hand. 
  
6)      Set Rules and Expectations 
  
Not to be everyone’s ‘Dad’, but as the planner of the trip you and your credit card are responsible for any negligence on your group’s part.  Ensure they know and respect the 'No Smoking' rule in the hotel room and rental car. If you have a group that might get a little rowdy, let them know that it is a quality hotel, not a house party and you don’t want to be kicked out or charged for damages. If you’ve chosen your group wisely they will respect your planning and happily oblige. If there is a 9am wake-up call to hit the road, make it clear that you don’t want to be waiting around for certain people because they chose to party a little too hard on the last night. 
  
7)      Have a Food Plan 
  
Nothing kills the vibe of a vacation more than everyone sitting around in a hotel room for an hour trying to figure out where to eat. Have a list of some interesting restaurants at the ready. It’s a guy’s trip so leave fine (or even semi-fine) dining out of it. Focus on famous local cuisine like cheesesteak in Philly, poutine in Montreal or Pizza in NYC. Research good street food and late-night eats as road-trips are usually short and busy so you’ll often look to grab something on the go. 
  
8)      Set Meeting Places 
  
If you are a Canadian travelling in the US or vice-versa chances are you will not be able to readily call or text your buddies if you split-up. Have a set time and place to meet up for dinner or night plans. Don’t feel like you have to always “keep the group together”, remember this isn’t just your trip, and everyone wants to get something a little different out of it.   
 
Have any of your own tips or questions about road trip planning? I would love to hear from you in the comments! 
  
Mike @ Palms & Pints 
@palmsandpints 
  

Anyone been to Malta?

Whenever I plan a major trip I always have a dilemma. I quite enjoy two uniquely different types of travel and I can’t really favor one over the other.

There is the ultimate R&R vacation in a tropical paradise… the heat, the ocean and the booze…

There is also the ultimate exploration vacation in Europe… the culture, the history, the food…

Lucky for me, an upcoming Punta Cana destination wedding in December has solidified my plans for the next trip, leaving my 2^nd wedding anniversary (Spring 2015) travel slot wide open for another European adventure!

In a previous blog I mused about a possible itinerary for my next Euro trip, however after I gave it some more thought I realized that a four or five city whirlwind tour might not be how I would best experience the ‘old world’ this time around. A nine-to-fiver like myself can't commit to more than a 10 day trip either. Don’t get me wrong, jumping from Munich to Prague to Venice was a trip for the ages, but what if I could combine what I love about Europe with what I love about the tropics… and come home with both memories and rejuvenation.

My biggest gripe with past trips was the constant regional travel and lack of time to really dig into the heart of each destination. We could only really do a few things in each city before moving on to the next.  If there were any “out of town” attractions that caught our eye, they were almost certainly left by the wayside due to time constraints. (The Erdinger Brewery outside of Munich is a prime example). Moving through the continent using a variety of transportation methods can be fun, however no one wants to turn down excursions to sit in an airport or shady bus terminal.  

What if I went somewhere in Europe that was equal parts sun, relaxation, history and food? I think this place might be the tiny island nation of Malta.

Often overlooked by more well-known Mediterranean hot spots like Italy, Spain, South of France, Greece and Croatia, Malta may be the perfect European escapist destination.  

Malta doesn't mess around in the 'Epic Churches' department

The main island is less than 20km from end to end, thus 8-10 days would be perfect for exploring many of the towns and the natural beauty the country has to offer. The small islands could be visited via day trips, plus the location in the southern Mediterranean provides perfect spring time weather (that means palms and beaches!). A quick bit of research shows that the country hosts some of the planet's oldest structures. That's cool! 

A Maltese beach - as good as any

I’ll be honest and say I know very little about Malta… it’s food, it’s people or it’s culture, but the aforementioned criteria alone are enough for me to commit to checking it out.

Are you from Malta? Have you been to Malta? I would love to hear your thoughts and tips in the comments!

Mike @ Palms & Pints

@palmsandpints

The Part-Time Traveler

I started my travel blog (and related twitter account) back in January, as travel planning has been a huge passion of mine for quite some time. I was looking for a way to pass on some of my knowledge on the subject, but more so to connect with and learn from other like-minded bloggers. In just a few months in the community I have been exposed to so many whose lives revolve around travelling the globe. My first reaction was a bit of jealously. I typically go on two major trips per year. “Major” being defined as a trip of a week or longer. On top of that I may squeeze in another 2 or 3 long-weekend type getaways. The jealousy lies in the fact that many of these bloggers are spending more time on foreign soil in a month than I do in a year!  It’s seems the sentiment from many of these full-time globe-trotters is that “anyone can do it, but it’s not for everyone”, and this couldn’t be more accurate.

Venice - sadly one of only two major trips I will take this year

I love to travel, and maybe just as much, I love to plan travel. For my February ten-day Europe trip I must have spent 30+ hours over 3 months planning it, ensuring we were getting the best possible value and the most out of our brief time in each location. Same could be said for my Florida “guys trip” in April. I find myself reverting back into travel-plan mode mere days after returning from a previous trip. If holding down a full-time job means that I can only travel a few times a year, so be it, but it’s sure not going to stop me from the research!

With that said I will be the first to admit that “full time travel” might not be for me, even if the work schedule provided more flexibility. Part of what makes travel so special for me is the rarity and exclusivity of it. Little things like being at an airport, checking into a hotel or grocery shopping in another city are exciting events. I work downtown Toronto and my office is in a hotel building in the city’s tourist-filled entertainment district. Everyday going to and from work I see those arriving in the city with their luggage, grabbing breakfast in the hotel or strolling Canada’s Walk of Fame along King Street West. On one hand I’m jealous of their current travel excitement juxtaposed against my dull work-day grind, but at the same time it prompts me to think about my next adventure abroad. A friend of mine who travels more than regularly on business told me that he looks at airports like a stop-and-go highway during rush hour. Nothing but a hassle. I can’t imagine experiencing an airport like this. Airports represent your gateway to amazing new places and memories. There is just something about being on the road at 5AM en-route to a 7AM flight that screams VACATION!

Made a 3-day trek to DC last summer

From my reading, long-term travel is typically done on a modest budget, thus one would have to have the lifestyle to match. I don’t fancy myself much of a budget traveler like many of the aforementioned “digital nomads”. I enjoy certain comforts when I travel and this is twice-fold for my main travel companion, my wife. This doesn’t mean that we stay at the Four Seasons, but it means that backpacking between hostels is not necessarily our cup of tea.

Does the idea of travelling the world full-time appeal to me? Absolutely! But I don’t think it’s something I will ever do. I love my house and take great pride in its ownership. We have a pool in the backyard and settling back there on a hot and sunny day with a drink in hand is something not even a five-star hotel room overseas would ever replace. I love my car, my MacBook and my gadgets. I couldn’t sell off all of these things to fund full-time travel. I am a self-proclaimed “Trip Research Aficionado”, and this is a passion I can maintain from the homestead. There are so many destinations to learn about and hotel reviews to read through, so travel will always be a huge and on-going part of my life... and when it does eventually come time for my next adventure, I’ll be wide-eyed and well-prepared.

Nothing beats home in the summer time!

Mike @ Palms & Pints
@palmsndpints

The Guys Trip: Tampa, Florida - Part 2 of 2

Our third day in ‘The Bay’ began with another early morning to maximize the fantastic weather. After a quick stop at the breakfast buffet we were on our way to Fort De Soto Park. This is a protected beach area with pristine sand and sparkling water. While it lacks the action and amenities of Clearwater Beach, we figured it would be a nice change of pace for a few hours. It lived up to its billing, however the winds became quite intense and started to take away from our beach-going experience. After getting sand-blasted for a good hour or so we decided to pack up and head to a beach bar for lunch and drinks.

The calmness of Fort De Soto Park

Gotta love that crystal clear water

Using my handy iPhone equipped with a US roaming data package, I was able to find a highly regarded beach bar called Bongo’s in nearby St. Pete Beach. It covered our criteria of great seafood options and an ocean-view patio. This was actually the in-house restaurant of a popular beach resort complex. Good eats, drinks and cigars followed and as usual I received a healthy dose of “props” from the boys for this clutch find. After lunch we decided to take advantage of what would be our final hours of sunshine on the trip by catching some more rays on famous St. Pete Beach.

Little lunch action beach-side at Bongos

Aside for the equally impressive white sand and clear water, St Pete Beach was nothing like the bustling Clearwater Beach. It’s possible that the fact that it was quite windy and a Monday could have had a lot to do with it. We took our waterproof camera into the ocean and got some great shots while avoiding the sandstorm that was building on land.

Going for a TD pass at St Pete Beach 

Once back in Tampa for the evening we chose to head back to Ybor City, as there seemed to be quite a bit going on there a couple nights earlier before we had to leave for the game. We started off the night yet again at Tampa Bay Brewing Co. for some more cider wings and other assorted apps. While deciding where to head next we were approached by a group, led by two suggestively dressed women who advised us that there was a great karaoke night happening at a bar down the street. The single friends in our group were instantly sold, and we headed on over.

Tampa Bay Brewing Co. - One last time 

The bar, Dopple Decker, was a tad divey, but had a decent crowd and reasonably priced drinks so we decided to stick around. My buddy John, riding high on 'liquid courage' asked me to sign him up for some karaoke, which I did. What followed was a decidedly awful, yet hilariously entertaining rendition of Nirvana’s “In Bloom”. (R.I.P Kurt, 20 Years). We stuck around for a few more songs after that, before heading back to the hotel to try and make a little more of a dent in our in-house booze stash as we were now in our 2nd last night of the trip.

A 'legendary' performance, and by 'legendary' I mean 'drunk'

We woke up the morning of our final full day in Tampa to cool temps and a steady rain. As we were expecting this, we had made plans to drive out to Ellenton, for a little outlet shopping. A combination of crappy weather, big crowds and lack of any significant deals caused us to tire of the shopping experience rather quickly. As we were in line at the mall’s disappointing food court, my iPhone and data plan once again came to the rescue and we were off to an authentic BBQ joint only a few minutes away.

Hickory Hollow provided us with some delicious southern BBQ fare including pulled pork, ribs, rotisserie chicken, and of course delicious corn bread! We were soon stuffed beyond proper function and returned to the hotel in preparation of the main event of the trip. A (sadly, nearly meaningless) hockey game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and our hometown Toronto Maple Leafs!

The boys are ready for game time! 

After cleaning up from the beach and indulging in a few pre-game adult pops in the room we headed down to the hotel’s happy hour for a couple bites and of course the free beer. We had the front-desk call us a cab, and we were advised it would be up to a 45min wait. Well over an hour later (with the free beer still flowing) there was no sign of our cabbie. Eventually one pulled up looking for “Shane”. Since no one else was in sight we decided ‘what the hell’ and jumped in with our incognito coffee cup brewskis.

Lots of coffee consumed on this trip

We arrived at the stadium to a large crowd and some pre-game festivities out front. As beer prices were through the roof, we just decided to head to our seats a bit early. Our group had to split up into two packs of three, but all of us had awesome seats to the game. We passionately belted out O’Canada, but unfortunately that’s where our cheering ended as the Leafs were bounced 3-0 in a rather dull affair. After the final buzzer we made our way back to the Bud Light Party Deck for some more of their famous $2 draughts. While drowning our sorrows we met a couple of friendly locals. One of whom was a Lightning fan/season ticket holder who was originally from Toronto, and now is living and working in Tampa. We also met a chick who came to the game solo after her friend bailed on her and she kindly offered to take us to some hot spots downtown.

Loving their seats 

Making friends @ the Bud Light Party Deck

First stop was Hooters, which was closed (common mid-week theme apparently)… so we sauntered a little further to a really cool adult slushie bar. Basically a room that looked like a high-end ice cream parlor with about two-dozen flavors of alcoholic slushies. Being the frozen drink connoisseur that I am, this was quite the find. We stayed here as long as we could until they (politely) kicked us out. After that we hung out on their patio a little longer before heading back to the hotel. We spent our final hour with a few more drinks, before retiring for the night and catching a flight back to reality in the morning.

Alcoholic slushie anyone?

Random Musing – with a return connection in DC, I realized that the North American terminal @ Ronald Regan National Airport is a joke. No duty-free, under 5 food options, tiny and crowded.

Mike @ Palms & Pints
@palmsandpints

The Guys Trip: Tampa, Florida - Part 1 of 2

I continued my long tradition of NHL hockey 'guys trips' this month with a journey down to sunny Tampa, Florida with five buddies. Previous to this trip we had seen live NHL hockey in Pittsburgh, Columbus, Nashville, Phoenix and New Jersey, so it was nice to be able to combo up the hockey with a side of lovely Florida Gulf Coast beach action.

After an uneventful but ungodly early travel morning we arrived in Tampa. Things started positively with some welcomed sunshine and a quick check-in to the Homewood Suites Tampa Westshore. We chose the airport location as it was sort of central between the beaches to the west and the core of the city to the east, and we had a van rented for easy transportation.  I had stayed at this hotel previously, and typically always go for a Homewood when in the US, as their vast array of amenities and perks can't be beat.

The Boys rollin' up to Homewood Suites

After the eternal winter we have been experiencing here in southern Ontario, the boys opted for a trip down to the outdoor pool to catch a few rays prior to our first of two Tampa Bay Lightning games that evening. We loaded our coffee cups up with "coffee" and kicked off the party pool-side. 

Poolside in FLA can't be beat

After a bit of swimming and tanning (well, burning) we headed down to Ybor City, a historic district of the city originally known for early Spanish, Cuban and Italian immigrants and cigar manufacturing in the late 1800's, recently revitalized into a vibrant nightlife hub. Our first good eats of the trip came at Tampa Bay Brewing Company. A cool brew-pub whose delicious apple cider wings were featured on Food Network's Diners Drive-ins & Dives. The wings were outstanding, but the reviews from the group were mixed on the craft beer offerings. Although there seemed to be no shortage of action going on in Ybor that night, we couldn't stick around for long as we had to run to the hockey game.

Historic Ybor City

Getting pumped up for some wings @ Tampa Bay Brewing Co. 

As is the case with many US-based NHL teams, we were able to grab scalped tickets to the game for below face value. As the marquee game featuring our hometown Toronto Maple Leafs wasn't until a few days later we decided to just grab upper bowl seats for the unheard-of (in Toronto anyways) price of $15. This worked out well as by the 2nd period we were able to migrate down to some unoccupied lower bowl seats to enjoy the rest of the game. The Lightning were smoked by the visitors from Dallas, but our discovery of the in-stadium Bud Light Party Deck with $2 draught beers after the game and a great view of the downtown ended up being the highlight of the night. Afterwards the majority of us decided to head back to the hotel as we were running on fumes after our 4AM wakeup call that morning. We finished the night with a brief musical session around the hotel fire pit with a few others who were winding down.

Great view from the Bud Light Party Deck @ The Tampa Bay Times Fourm  

$10 beers that magically dropped to $2 after the final buzzer

The next day we set out to Clearwater Beach, the closest and most popular of the Tampa-area Gulf beaches. Being the weekend and a beautiful day, the beach was apparently a quite popular idea. Traffic was horrendous coming in from Tampa and parking was relegated to the 7th floor of a hotel parking structure. Wanting to keep some semblance of a workout regime while away, I went for an 8KM run down the main strip and across a large bridge to a neighbouring island and Sand Key Park. I eventually hoofed it back to the beach for my first taste of the ocean and to try and even out my tan. The crystal clear water and fine white sand of the Florida Gulf Coast simply can't be beat outside of the Caribbean for any beach lover. Although Clearwater Beach was beyond busy, the strip is so massive that we had no issue securing our own piece of real estate for the afternoon.

Apparently the beach is a popular idea on a hot sunny day

View from Sand Key park during my run

That evening we returned to Tampa and decided to stay close to our hotel. I recommended the nearby classic American institution The Cheesecake Factory for dinner, and the crew was not disappointed. Afterwards we kicked around the International Plaza area for a few drinks. This is a cool little modern entertainment district with a bunch of restaurants and bars inter-connected by a cobbled courtyard. However, being a Sunday everything was closing up earlier than expected. We tried to get into the one place that was still hopping called Blue Martini but apparently the bouncer wasn't impressed with our shorts (it's Florida man!). We were able to grab a hotel shuttle bus from an affiliate hotel who said he could take us to another bar not too far away (The Brickhouse), which also ended up closing shortly thereafter. At this point we had to decide whether to grab a pricy cab downtown or accept defeat and head back to the hotel. We chose the latter and finished the night with beers and the horrible film 2012.

Step 1: Try not to look like a huge tourist --- Step 2: Fail miserably 

Part Two to follow. 

Mike @ Palms & Pints

@palmsandpints

You can't beat a Homewood Suites

Note: The views expressed in this post are based solely on my own authentic experiences. I have never received nor been offered any benefit, perk or discount from a hotel chain in exchange for a positive review.

I'm not the fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of traveler. Any hotel that I have booked in the last five years, whether it be for a one-night stopover or a week-long stay has been the product of significant research and planning. I can think of only one instance where this has steered me wrong. It was for a one night stay in Geneva, New York a couple of years ago. According to TripAdvisor the hotel I booked was ranked #1 of 9 properties in the town, so how could I go wrong, right? It ended up being one of the worst accommodations I had ever paid for. Since my stay the hotel has dropped to #6 of 9 in Geneva. I think I'll give myself and TripAdvisor a mulligan on that one. Maybe there was a change in ownership, or maybe the competition in the small Finger Lakes town just wasn't up to snuff at the time.

There are few constants in the world of successful trip planning. TripAdvisor's review aggregate is (almost always) one of them. Another is that you will be hard pressed to go wrong with a Hilton brand hotel. While the classic "Hilton" line of hotels are usually on the higher end of the price spectrum, there is a new entry in the brand lineup that simply cannot be beat for quality and value. Homewood Suites.

In order to truly appreciate what a Homewood Suites can offer you, you must first make one (and only one) simple concession. These hotels are not located downtown. They are found around airports and more suburban surroundings. In fact, there is one two minutes from my house in Mississauga. If you are comfortable with not being on the corner of Main Street and 2nd Avenue, the rest is money in the bank:

1. Free Breakfast

Sort of an American/continental hybrid, but always fresh and delicious.

2. Happy Hour!

Free "light dinner" and beer/wine from 5-7pm Monday to Thursday. This requires no further explanation.

3. Free Parking

Those hoighty downtown hotels wish they offered easy, free, valet-less, on-site parking.

4. Kitchenette

Save some money and make your own meals with a kitchenette and separate living quarters in every room.

5. Free Wifi

This seems like it should be standard everywhere, but sadly it's not.

6. Shuttle

Bus service to transit hubs often included.

7. New! 

Many Homewood Suites have been newly constructed. A little touch of modern to your stay.

8. Two-bedroom suites

Going with a big group and want more beds and washrooms, but are good with a single communal kitchen and living area? Two-bedroom suites are an incredibly cost-efficient option.

9. Free Newspaper

A fresh copy of USA Today waiting outside your door.

10. Great hotel bars

Don't expect a party, but solid selection, reasonable prices and daily specials will be found.

Trust the duck.

Check out some of my Homewood Suites reviews on TripAdvisor:

Springfield Virginia (DC Area)

Tampa Airport Westshore

Miami Airport West 

Have any questions about Homewood Suites? Have your own personal favorite chain? Love to hear from you in the comments.

Mike @Palms & Pints
@palmsandpints