One of the motivations I have with my weight loss and fitness journey is to be able to live the life I imagined – with lots of travel! When you worry about how you fit on airplanes and if your feet can hold up to walking lots in metro areas, the thought of travel gets really intimidating. I'm getting the travel bug again. Well, I say that like it went away at some point, but it didn't. I just get a little stir crazy, I suppose. Next week I'm heading to FitBloggin‘ in Baltimore, and then to Montana for a meeting. After that though? No travel plans whatsoever. *sad face*
The last trip I made was to New York City in April, which was just so much fun. I was there for a workshop, but got a great taste of the city, and though it was a packed trip, I came home recharged with energy and new ideas. I was shocked at how I could manage the stairs to the subway and how I didn't mind walking several blocks since I was pain free.
For my next trip, I think I'd love to visit the west coast – perhaps Los Angeles. It's been about 10 years since I was in LA, and that was a quick trip for a conference and not much sightseeing (save for a failed attempt to get on The Price is Right). I'd love to experience the different sights (and shopping) of LA, including hiking Runyon Canyon, going to the Griffith Observatory, people watching at Venice Beach, and shopping at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.
I usually take a long time to book hotels because I'm super picky (aka, I like “fancy” things) but also don't want to overpay. Also with places like New York and LA, it is hard to choose a neighborhood to stay in since they're so different. Enter five different travel search sites to research options. Room77 is a hotel search site that I just learned about, and after looking up hotels for my hypothetical LA trip, I think my hotel searches may have just gotten much easier.
My #1 requirement in a hotel amenity? Free wi-fi. If you have to spend more than a day paying for wi-fi, it can add up like crazy. I'd rather spend that extra money on seeing more sights. Thankfully I can filter for this on the site instead of getting weaseled into a hotel I think I'll like and then getting hit with a $19.99 per day wi-fi fee once I arrive.
You can also filter for things like free breakfast, free parking, free airport shuttle, and more. Something else that saved me from having to open another window to search? You can search by star ratings, but also by TripAdvisor ratings, which is something I always look for before booking. They also have Room Concierge, which means you can specify when booking if you want something like a room with a good view, or a quieter room. They then request that with the hotel for you. This means I will no longer get stuck in the room next to the noisy elevator because I paid a lower rate than others on the floor. (Seriously, how annoying is that?!)
Never wonder whether you’ve gotten the best deal on your hotel room again. Check out Room 77 when planning your next travel adventure!
Now, who wants to go on a hypothetical (for now) west coast trip with me?!
Disclosure: I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective.
