SpecialClassical Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Hello! We are going on vacation soon and we are trying to save money. This was to be our "BIG" trip since our two older children might not be with us on too many more. However, our children wanted a toned down vacation want to cut out eating out and staying at nicer hotels in order to save money for two things: a used jet ski and family donations to ministries/charities. It will be an even split with the savings. So, I saw reviews online about Super 8 and all of them said the hotels were clean. That is my biggest concern. Would Motel 6 be a decent choice as well? This is a road trip and we just need a clean place to sleep. Our big destination is Niagra Falls and I think we will just get a nicer hotel there since the kids will have a chance to swim. ALso, we are trying to eat healthier and that isn't easy on the road. I can pack many things for breakfast and some lunch. In order to make it be less of a hassle for me I would like to pick up some snacks and lunch items at Trader Joe's. There is one we can go to on the first day of our trip, so I can stock up a bit. With the above information you can see that we will only have coolers, no fridge, micro, or oven at the hotels. I'm used to doing a fair amount of cooking on vacations, but it won't work this time. Any suggestions for Trader Joe's? Yummy stuff that kids will like? Thank you so much for any suggestions. I'm off to the store with my littles, but will check back at lunch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I am a bit embarrassed to say this but when we are staying in a base hotel we take a crockpot and do hot dogs. I just dump a package in and 2 or 3 hours later we have hot dogs that are really good. We also take frozen pre-cooked chicken nuggets. They take longer to be nice. We do things like veggie chips on the side. My mom has always carried an electric fry pan. I grew up with canned spaghetti and beef stew in hotel rooms. I hope you have a great vacation.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Super 8's have generally been nice. Motel 6's have been a crap-shoot for me. And, you can't always tell by the pictures on the website. Some of them have been beautiful, some--well, not so nice. I recently discovered Drury Inn and was very very pleased. They offer breakfast (and I mean, BREAKFAST) and appetizer-type foods in the evening. It was spotless and very comfortable. They also had refrigerators and microwaves in each room. Something to think about if you're wanting to eat on the road. If you're comfortable, you could post what cities you'll be driving through and maybe others here can give you an idea of where to stay in each place. A couple of years ago, my dd and I traveled from the midwest to CA and back and I took as much of our own food as I could. I took boiled eggs, cheese sticks, cut up veggies, bottled water, pita chips, hummus, muffins, lunch meat, bread, chips, trail mix, granola bars, apple sauce, grapes. I just got fresh ice daily and nothing spoiled. Have a fun trip! I love road trips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 We have found that motel chains such as Super 8, Motel 6, EconoLodge, etc., really vary. In a smaller town they are more likely to be decent, I think. Sometimes in a bigger city they are in areas of town that aren't so nice. I look up almost every hotel on http://www.tripadvisor.com for reviews. Sometimes you can find decent independent, roadside type motels, but you have to search a little harder. KOA Camper Cabins were a good choice for us, although then you have to bring sleeping bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 We love the Drury Inn and Suites if that is an option for you. They offer dinner in the evenings and breakfast in the mornings, all as part of the room price. As for the rest of the chains mentioned, as others have said, it's really touch & go and often they are in tougher parts of town if near a city. We usually try for Hampton Inns or Courtyard Marriotts to stay budget conscious (if a Drury is not around). Holiday Inn Express hotels are usually nice too. I am also an avid Tripadvisor user before we go anywhere. We also book through Priceline most often, being conscientious as to what part of a city we want when naming our own price since they let you choose areas. We have stayed at some very nice hotels that are not usually in our budget for as much as 60% off using Priceline. I like the idea of bringing a crockpot... I've never thought of that, but what a great way to save $ and still enjoy your vacation! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I look up almost every hotel on http://www.tripadvisor.com for reviews. I used Trip Advisor on our last trip as well. Don't assume that every motel in a chain has the same cleaning standards. A lot depends on the managers and cleaning staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 You could bring a hot plate and a pot and cook many things just from TJ's. They don't have fresh vegetables, but they do have packaged and frozen, the latter being quite reasonably priced. We buy organic apples, bananas, and pears from there. They sell all the basic items that you could cook from scratch without having to resort to any packaged foods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I agree with taking a crockpot. TJs has several meats already marinated that cook up nicely in a crockpot. They also have jarred sauces that you can throw in a crockpot with meat. We love their trail mixes. The nut & berry mix is my favorite. They have good cereal, the corn salsa is very nice. My kids love their hummus, the roasted red pepper hummus in particular. Their bagged salad mixes are good, I like the herb salad one. My Trader Joes does have fresh veggies. Perhaps that is regional? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Another vote for tripadvisor website. Also, there is a bedbug report website somewhere (search for it). We do a lot of bagel sandwiches, etc. when on the road. And we try to find hotels that have free breakfast and maybe enough free snacks at night to call it a meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 My Trader Joes does have fresh veggies. Perhaps that is regional? I'm in California and you are in South Carolina, and you all get fresh veggies. :lol: Ours could be fresh - they just happen to be in packages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 TJs snacks We love their dried mangos, trail mix, granola bars, nuts and mini bagels. Their instant oatmeal is good for breakfast too, if the room has a microwave or you take a kettle. I like the idea of a crockpot or hot plate in the hotel room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDeeMarie Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 We just went on a trip a few weeks ago and I bought most of our snacks from TJ's. Here's what I bought Corn chips (like fritos) corn salsa cashews and trail mix (can't remember the name it was an omega 3 mix, very good!) cat cookies fruit I also brought Beef jerky (from costco, I love cashews with beef jerky, that's a meal in itself!) A large thermos with ice water so we could fill up anytime I drink mostly water but we bought Crystal Light Pure (made with Stevia) to add to our water You could also buy lunch meat and bread when you get there and have sandwiches, chips and fruit for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Absolutely check for reviews on tripadvisor.com. We've had some good luck with Microtels. I believe they have fridges and micros, too. The only problem we have encountered when staying in budget hotels in the past few years is work crews taking over the hotel. A few times the police had to be called for drinking in the parking lot and general rowdiness. These were all rural hotels. They would also be in blocks of rooms, and doors would be open, which made me a bit nervous late at night if I was alone in the halls. One time we stayed in a budget hotel in Maryland, in what we thought was a decent area, and there was prostitution going on in the rooms next to the side exit. It was obvious that the managers were in on it. I couldn't believe the customer we were visiting recommended it to dh, but maybe he thought dh would be traveling alone and needed such services.:tongue_smilie: Edited July 31, 2012 by dsmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialClassical Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 Thank you, thank you! I've never heard of Drury Inns, but will look them up. We've never stayed in a Super 8 or Motel 6 and their websites don't really say much. I will check tripadvisor and look for the bedbug site. Thank you for that info, I am scared of bedbugs. We generally stay at a Hampton Suites type hotel or rent a condo or cabin, but thought we could save if we went lower. We will be in Ann Arbor,MI, Southern outskirts of Detroit, Sandusky, Ohio, and Niagra. I was thinking about traveling through Ontario on our way home (SW Michigan). The Trader Joe's recs are great as well. I'm not sure about a crockpot since we will arrive at bedtime and leave right away in the morning. I'm glad the kids are willing to sacrifice a big, lavish vacation, but you know the work for meals and planning will fall on me. :) We have 7 in the family so we can't get one room anymore, not even a suite! Priceline sounds like a great idea for our time in Niagra. If anyone wants to chime in on the attractions on the route from the Canadian side of Niagra to Detroit, that would be awesome. It is so nice to get all these responses. I've read the board for many, many years, but you can see I don't post much. And thanks for ignoring the scattered though process. You know how it is with children around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 If you don't particularly care where you stay in a town have you thought about using Priceline and setting your own price? I've done it and it works. Just a thought. Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I'm wondering if you will really save all that much money by staying places without a microwave or fridge. Unless you buy their plain food (fresh produce, frozen veges, frozen chicken breasts, etc), Trader Joe's premade dinners tend to be very high in sodium. That may not be an issue for your family, but day after day, it could contribute to not feeling so hot. (Would be equivalent to eating in restaurants constantly. Their stuff is high in sodium too.) Many dorm rooms have regulations against hot plates, etc. for fire hazard reasons. I wonder if hotels do, too. I just stayed in a Motel 6 that was extremely clean. But--no fridge, microwave, or even shampoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 We usually stay at Hampton Inn, and at $99 a night we have never stayed at one that was not clean. The rooms do not smell like smoke either. Motel 6 and 8 smell like smoke, or at least the few we have stayed at even in the non-smoking rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 IMO less important than the chain of hotel is its age, or the last date of rennovation. Chain hotels can have both corporate and franchise properties, this accounts for the variable in quality and cleanliness. However, even when staying at a franchise, the chain dictates how often the property must be maintained. Often this info is posted on the website or the front desk personnel can tell you, as it is a frequent question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 So, I saw reviews online about Super 8 and all of them said the hotels were clean. That is my biggest concern. Would Motel 6 be a decent choice as well? This is a road trip and we just need a clean place to sleep. Our big destination is Niagra Falls and I think we will just get a nicer hotel there since the kids will have a chance to swim. Canadian side? I'm dying to stay here: http://www.embassysuitesniagara.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Canadian side? I'm dying to stay here: http://www.embassysuitesniagara.com/ WOW! It would be worth it to pay more for the falls view rooms.... so very worth it. Now I want to go! The only time I've been to Niagara Falls was in the middle of a snowstorm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 If you don't particularly care where you stay in a town have you thought about using Priceline and setting your own price? I've done it and it works. Just a thought. Alley :iagree: We have driven from TX to CA and back twice. The first time we stayed at Econ Lodge, Super 8 type motels. I read reviews on Hotwire and booked through them. Some of the motels were okay and some were horrible dispite decent reviews. The second trip I book 3 1/2-4 star hotel using name your price at Priceline. I started at betterbidding.com to get an idea of what the ongoing prices were in the town we wanted and then bid based on that. We had the most amazing hotels at Super 8 prices. Name your price hotel route was so much better for us. We also had four people in a room, even though the Priceline bid was for 2. I never had a problem and most places were able to bring a roll away bed to our room, (sometimes for free and sometimes for $10 extra). The only downside was that none of the hotels offered breakfast. Some mornings we ate our own, (usually bagels, banana, juice and fruit), and some morning we ate out. I love name your own price at Priceline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialClassical Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Canadian side? I'm dying to stay here: http://www.embassysuitesniagara.com/ :w00t: Okayyyyyyyyyyy, I think I will be hitting Priceline tomorrow! I saw a Groupon deal awhile back for a new hotel there, but they only had fall views from the fancy restaurant! We are mostly going barebones for the nights when all we will do is sleep in the hotel. Normally I wouldn't consider a pricey room like that at all, but with Priceline we might have some luck! Thanks to everyone for your wonderful ideas. This is so helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoLuRu Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Get an electric pressure cooker and a well insulated cooler. The electric pressure cooker will cook a package of brown rice, frozen chicken breasts, and whatever sauce all together in under 30 minutes. Toss in a bag of frozen veggies at the end, stir in, and close for another five minutes. Everything will be hot but cooled down to serve, and it's a full meal in one pot. Easy clean up, easy dinner, and healthy. You can look up "dump chicken" for easy recipes. This is my go-to dinner for nights I don't feel like cooking. :) You can get other recipes in Lorna Sass cookbooks - her pressure cooker books are great, and it's just such a great way to cook while traveling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialClassical Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Thanks a bunch. I think we will be eating good food! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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